Title Pending
by murrey-2012
Summary: After the fall of the Edison Group, Chloe and the group went different ways. When Chloe's life takes an unexpected turn, she must turn to some old friends. But will this reunion be the key to a mystery Derek has been trying desperately to solve?
1. Why Now?

**Okay everyone, this is just something that I was thinking and decided to write down. I know it's short, but bear with me. Also, updating might be a little slow because I have my other two stories and school just started up again. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**Background info: Lauren took Chloe to California after the fall of the Edison Group. She hasn't heard from anybody since. She is 19, just finishing her first year of college. **

Stepping out of my car, I reached inside and grabbed my bag. Shutting the door quietly, I began to walk to the front door. Searching my bag for my key, I stopped in front of the door. Searching the entire bag, I couldn't find the key. Turning around, I scanned the ground to see if I dropped it. Nothing. Sighing, I reached up to the hanging pot of flowers next to the door and grabbed the spare. Unlocking the door, I stepped inside quietly shut the door. Nobody would be home, but I did it out of habit. Setting the key down on the table, I put my bag on the floor. Turning around to lock the door, I heard something. Turning around, I looked around the dark room, but saw nothing. Craning my head to look around the corner, all I saw was dark. Shrugging it off, I turned back to the door. As soon as my hand touched the lock, I heard it again. This time I knew I heard something. Forgetting the lock, I took a step forward and strained my eyes trying to see if I could find anything. Stopping, I took a deep breath and waited, listening. _Upstairs_. There's something, or someone, upstairs. _A burglar?_ No, it can't be. The door is locked. _Dad?_ He isn't supposed to be home until Friday. But he could have come home early and forgotten to call.

Letting out a shuddering laugh, I tried to get my heart back to normal. _That's it. He's home early_. Walking to the stairs, I climbed the first step and said, "Dad? Is that you?"

No answer. _Maybe he has his door shut and can't hear me._

"Dad?" I said louder, continuing to climb the stairs. "Are you home early?"

Still no answer. _Maybe he is asleep_. Slowly heading toward his bedroom, I said again, "Dad?"

A noise came from behind me. Pivoting on my heel, I searched the dark, my heart racing. My breathing became erratic as I strained to hear the noise again. It was coming from the study. Taking a step forward, I continued to listen. A squeak. Like a sneaker against tile._ Maybe dad is in the study._ Stopping in my tracks, I realized my mistake. _Dad doesn't wear sneakers._

Taking a deep breath, I crept to the study door and pressed my ear against it, listening for someone inside. Nothing. Reaching for the handle, I slowly turned and opened the door a crack. Peeking inside, I saw the desk light on. Opening the door more, I looked around. As I stepped into the room, I saw my dad sitting in his chair facing away from me. Letting out my breath, I smiled and said, "Couldn't hear me?"

No answer. My smile faltered. Creeping forward, I said, "Dad?"

Walking in front of the chair, I saw him sitting there with his eyes wide open, blank. My heart picking up, I said meekly, "Daddy?"

Eyes starting to burn, I took a step back and hit the desk, sending the lamp crashing to the floor, cracking the bulb and sending me into darkness. After a few seconds, my eyes starting to focus enough to see shapes. Stepping forward, I slowly stepped around the chair and out of the room, shutting the door behind me. Leaning against it, I took a deep breath. Then I heard it again. The squeak. It was coming from downstairs now. Silently creeping to the stairs, I peeked around the corner and scanned the downstairs hall. All clear.

With every step down the stairs, I stopped and listened. When I reached the bottom step, I looked around the railing into the living room. Empty. Walking in, I looked around for the owner of the sneaker. As I stood in the middle of the room, I looked at the window, seeing the rain coming down by the ton. Hearing the squeak behind me, I froze. Slowly turning, I looked through the glass door which separated the living room from the dining room. Standing on the other side was someone dressed entirely in black. My heart beating so loudly, I saw the glass shatter and felt the bullet hit my arm, the sound never making it to my ears. Holding my arm, I spun and ran for the door. As I retched the door open, I felt the shooter at my side. Before they could grab me, I slammed the door into them, sending them backward. Running at full speed, I made it to my car and started the engine. Shifting into reverse, I pulled out of the driveway and sped away.

As I drove down the empty highway, the rain pelting my windshield, my wipers barely able to keep up, the earlier events started to catch up with me. Slowing down, I pulled over to the side of the road and shut off my car. Taking a shuddering breath, I felt a sob escape. Running my hands through my hair, I leaned my head in my lap. Breathing deeply, I let my heart calm down.

_My dad is dead. Murdered. And I was almost killed by the same person_. I couldn't think about how or who. All that came to my mind was_, _why? My life had been normal since my aunt convinced my dad to move us to California after incident with the Edison Group. I saw a ghost now and then, but besides that, life was normal_. So why now_?

Feeling a throbbing pain, I looked over at my right arm. At the top, just below the shoulder, was a hole. Blood soaked the sleeve. I was shot._ But, this isn't the first time._ Pulling myself straight, I remembered the last time I was shot. Four years ago. And when it happened, I had someone to help me. And that someone is exactly the person I need._ He can help me. I know he can. _

As I restarted the car, I pulled back onto the highway and drove toward the lights of a town ahead to find a computer. As I drove, I thought about the shooter. The only thing that struck me as odd was, when they had tried to grab me, I had caught a faint aroma of ash and burnt hair.

**I know it might be a little confusing, but don't worry, everything will be explained. Any questions are really appreciated. See ya next chapter!**


	2. We're Screwed

**Okay everyone, I am really really sorry for the month long wait. School had been really hectic and I've been having a little writers block for all of my stories. Anyway, thank you to everyone who reviewed my first chapter. Sorry if there was any confusion. It was just an idea I had that I decided to write down so I wouldn't forget it. To answer some questions, **

**Yes, this is after all the books. However, the kiss between Derek and Chloe never happened. It would just complicate the story at the beginning.**

**The reason Chloe didn't keep contact with the others will be answered eventually.**

**The reason Chloe didn't go to Lauren to get her arm fixed will be explained.**

**Any other questions are appreciated.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**This chapter is about Derek. To clear up any initial confusion, Derek works for a private investigating agency. He is 20.**

"Souza!"

Turning around, I see Danny walking toward me. She swerved past the crowded room and stopped in front of me.

"Did you get the call from Hanson?" she asked.

"Yeah," I answered, "I was heading to his office now."

"I'll come with," she said.

Turning back around, we walked down the hall to our boss's office. I got a call earlier saying he wanted to see me and Danny in his office in an hour. He most likely wanted to talk to us about our case. Danny and I are partners and have been working on a case for a few months. A body was found in a ravine and another was found in an apartment. The body in the ravine was identified as a 22 year old man named Zachary Singe. The body in the apartment was a 23 year old female named Marissa Noyes. They had never met each other and had nothing in common while they were alive. The only thing they did have in common, however, was how they died. They were found burned from the inside out with an indiscernible pattern on the back of the right hand. We had been working the case for months and have hit a dead end. Hanson had tried to get us to stop the investigation, but we are the only ones who are willing to take the case, so he stopped complaining.

Stopping in front of his door, I lifted my hand and rapped my knuckles on the door.

"Come in," a voice said from inside.

Opening the door, I let Danny enter first and then I walked in, closing the door behind me.

"You wanted to see us sir?" I asked.

"Yes, have a seat," he said, leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his desk, crossing his hands.

"I would like a progress report on your investigation."

"What would you like to know?" Danny asked.

"What leads to you have?" he asked.

"We've questioned the family, friends, coworkers," I said, "They all say the same thing. Both victims were quiet and friendly. Neither had ever had problems with drugs or alcohol. There was no reason to suspect that the victims were involved in anything that would lead to foul play."

"Anything new on how they died?" he asked.

"We have confirmed that the victims died as a result of the burning," Danny explained. "However, the method of burning remains unclear. We know that whatever burned them originated within their bodies."

"And the mark on their hands?" he asked.

"We still are unable to create a clear pattern for the mark. The hands were too burned to really tell what it is. We've compared it religious symbols, pagan rituals, but we can't find it anywhere." I said.

"Alright," he said, sighing. "You can go."

Standing up, I exited the room, with Danny at my heels. She followed me to my office and sat down on the corner of my desk.

"We're screwed," she said.

Sitting down in my chair, I leaned back and groaned. Running my hands through my hair, I said, "Probably."

"We've got no leads," she said. "We have no idea what killed them or who. We have no idea how that someone burned them from the _inside _out. And we have no idea what that mark is. We're screwed."

"And they say I'm a pessimist."

"You know I'm right," she said. Looking down at the floor, she said, "You need me tonight?"

"Why?" I asked, leaning forward. "Gotta a date?"

"It's not a date," she protested.

"No, of course not," I said, a small smile growing. "It's just dinner with a man who you plan on sleeping with after."

"Exactly," she said. "Not a date."

"Who's your _not-date_?" I asked.

"It may or may not be with a certain guy that you're friends with," she said, quietly.

"Which friend would that be?" I asked.

"He also may or may not be your brother," she mumbled.

"You're going out with Simon?" I asked.

"You said it, not me," she said.

"Of all the guys you could have chosen, you had to pick him?" I asked. "You do know you're not signing up for anything more than three dates max?"

"It's not like any of my other dates lasted any longer," she said.

"So it _is _a date," I said.

Glaring at me, she asked, "So, do you need me tonight?"

"No. I think I'll just head home and go over the file again, see if I can get a breakthrough," I said, standing up.

"Good luck," she said, walking out the door.

I sifted through my file cabinet and grabbed out all the files for our current case. Stuffing them in my bag, I grabbed my jacket and walked out the door, locking it behind me.

Stopping my car in front of my house, I grabbed my bag and opened the door. Taking a step outside the car, I took a deep breath. I lived about a half hour outside Albany. I do understand the irony of the place I chose to live because Albany was the reason I was sent to Lyle House back when I was 16, but I liked the location. The reason I bought the property was because the house was surrounded by miles and miles of forest without another person for miles. A werewolf's paradise. I could've cared less what the house was like because it was only me living there. Though, I can't really complain about the house. It was a little like the safe house that Andrew took us to. Not the Victorian style, but the size. It was huge. As a werewolf, I love the space. The more space, the better. It also came in handy when Simon or Tori came to stay. They always started some kind of argument and with a big house, I could slip away and drown them out.

Walking to the front door, I took out my key from my pocket and unlocked the door. Stepping inside, I didn't bother turning on the light. There was enough moonlight streaming in the window for me to see. Walking down the hall, I made my way to the living room, setting down my bag on the coffee table and sitting down on the couch. Opening my bag, I grabbed out the pictures and laid them out on the table. Staring at the pictures, I sighed and leaned back. I needed to solve this case. But this wasn't a normal death. There was no way to start a fire inside a body and burn somebody to a crisp. There had to be something I was missing.

**Okay, so that was chapter 2. I'm really sorry that it's short and really sucks. I just thought I should give you something. The next chapter will be Chloe. **


	3. I'm Doomed

**Okay everyone, I'm really sorry for the wait. My sister's laptop broke and she had to take it in and now she has hijacked mine. Luckily I could reclaim it long enough to write this. Anyway, thanks to those who reviewed, I really appreciate it. And I know the last chapter sucked, hopefully this one will make up for it. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**This one is Chloe's POV and as a side note, Chloe never realized her feelings for Derek when she went on a date with Simon.**

Pulling into the public library, I stopped my car and stepped out. Before shutting the door, I reached in and grabbed a jacket. It wasn't raining as hard as it was, but I needed something to cover my arm. More specifically, the hole in my arm from where I had been shot. I knew that I needed to have it fixed, but I didn't want to risk going to a hospital because they would call my dad, who wouldn't answer. Another option was Aunt Lauren, but I wasn't exactly on speaking terms with her. Ever since we left the others, things have been different between us. More strained. For the first couple months after we came to California, I was angry with her. After a while though, I just stopped talking to her all together. I called my dad, told him where I was, and he moved out here. He actually bought a house and moved in, me with him. It had been four years since we left the group and I don't think I can ever forgive her for it. When we left, I wanted to call them and make sure that they were okay, but conveniently, the phone numbers I was given suddenly disappeared.

Standing in the rain, I locked my car and made my way into the building. The library closed at 9 o' clock. Looking at my watch, I read 8:36. I had 24 minutes to find something. Opening the door, I walked in. looking around, I saw that it was practically empty. That was good. The less people, the less chance I would draw any attention. Walking to the back, I sat down at one of the computers. Starting it up, I clicked on the internet. When it was loaded, my fingers hovered above the keyboards when a thought hit me. I had no idea how to find him. Moving the mouse over the search engine, I clicked to highlight the box. Taking a deep breath, I typed in _Derek Souza._

I spent the rest on my time going through the links that popped up. None of them were what I was looking for. I changed my search to _Derek Souza New York _in hopes that it would narrow my search down a little, but I still couldn't find him. At 9 o' clock, the librarian came by and told me it was closing time. Shutting off the computer, I stood up. I was still nowhere in my search for him.

Walking out to my car, I unlocked it and got in. I had just shut my door when the rain picked up and started pelting my windshield. Groaning, I leaned my head against the steering wheel and slumped my shoulders as the contents of tonight caught up with me. My dad was dead, somebody that smelled of smoke and ash had shot at me, catching my arm. I didn't even know if the bullet had passed all the way through or not. Looking up, I shrugged off my jacket and looked at my arm. The bleeding had pretty much stopped, but I couldn't see past the blood to see if the bullet was still in my arm. Pulling my jacket back on, I decided my arm could wait until later. I still had no idea how to find Derek. The last time I had saw him was in Albany when we had stopped at a motel for the night.

Sitting up, I reached over and grabbed my seatbelt. Buckling myself in, I started my car and started to pull out. Pulling back out onto the highway, I started to make my way to the airport. I had no idea how to find Derek, but I decided to use the saying _when you lose something, look in the last place you saw it. _

Pulling in to the parking lot of the airport, I practically ran inside and over to the front desk. Looking up at the departure schedule, I smiled. My day, or night rather, was starting to turn around. There was a flight for Albany, New York leaving at 10 o' clock. Rushing up to the desk, I asked to man for a ticket. Looking up at me, he smiled and leaned forward on his elbow, leaning towards me.

"Why do you want to go all the way New York when you can have a great time right here?" he asked.

Resisting the urge to vomit, I said, "As much as I'd love to stay, I'm visiting a friend and he doesn't like it when I'm late."

"Damn," he said, "Lucky guy."

Putting on a fake smile, I reached out and grabbed my ticket. Turning around, I walked toward the terminal, where they had started loading the plane. Handing them my ticket, I walked onto the plane, where I found my seat and made myself comfortable, or as comfortable as I could be in a situation like this. Leaning back in my seat, I shut my eyes and tried to get some sleep. However, sleep decided to skip me, because try as I might, I couldn't fall asleep. Instead, I stared out the window as the dark sky and waited for New York.

When the plane touched ground, I sat up and waited for the attendants to announce that we could get off. When the announcement came, I was the first one off the plane, trying to beat the rush. Just my luck, as soon as my foot stepped of the stairs, the people flooded off the plane, pushing and shoving me. Pushing my way through, I walked into the building and past the people waiting for a ride. Stepping outside, I was instantly blinded by the sun. Holding my hand over my eyes, I started walking.

As I walked down the streets, I walked past shops and I peeked into the windows. I saw many strangers looking at clothes and hanging out with people who I assumed were friends. But I didn't see Derek. Walking a few more blocks, I found a park. Walking through it, I saw a bench along the side of it. I decided to take a break from walking. Sitting down, I looked at my watch. 9:26. It was still early, so I had all day to look for him. Looking around, the thought hit me. _Maybe this wasn't the best plan. Not only did I not know where he was, I didn't even know if he was still in New York. I mean, I left, so what was the chance that he was still here. And even if he was in New York, I had no idea what city he was in. and now I'm stuck in Albany, almost out of money (the plane ticket had cost most of my money I had in my account), and I might still have a killer after me._

Groaning, I leaned my head into my hands, which were resting in my lap.

"I'm doomed," I thought aloud.

**Sorry that it's kinda rushed.**


	4. Most Of Them Were Pictures

**Okay everyone, I would like to thank everybody who reviewed! You guys rock! And sorry for the long wait. I am chronically lazy. Okay, so I had some comments as to Chloe's bank account and that it is nearly impossible for it to run out of money. This will be addressed later. Maybe in this chapter, but probably in the next. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**Derek's POV**

As I sat at my kitchen table eating breakfast, I thought about if I should go to work today. There wasn't really a point to it. The only thing I would manage to accomplish would be to sit at my desk going through the files that I had sitting on the coffee table in the living room. I had already gone through them enough that I could practically recall them word for word. And Danny would come into my office at least every hour to pester me. We'd been partners since I started working there a year ago. I started as soon as I finished high school because I got a recommendation from my high school criminology teacher. Apparently I was good at interpreting facts. I didn't skip college, though. I got a scholarship for a university close to Albany. I took all my classes online so that I could work the same hours I did in the summer. Plus, I didn't really want to be crammed into a classroom with a bunch of strangers. I may not be as unsocial as I was in high school, but that many people together in a hot classroom leads to a mixture of sweat and perfume that gives me a migraine.

When I started working for the agency, I was expecting something equivalent to the mailroom. But they were apparently short on staff, so I was automatically given an office and a partner. I was happy that I would be getting into the field and actually investigating, but I wasn't so thrilled to hear that I would have a partner. I knew it would be good to have somebody to bounce ideas off of, don't get me wrong, but that's not Danny. When I first started, my relationship with Danny was like my relationship with Tori when I first met her. I couldn't stand her. She was always bothering me and following me around. I always caught her staring at the muscles in my arms and gaping. It was annoying. It's not like the muscles were on purpose. Being a werewolf, I needed to work off a lot of energy, which leads to muscles. However, after a while, she stopped staring. It could have something to do with me yelling at her, but I can't be sure.

Now we're pretty close. She's always teasing me about being a werewolf. I didn't tell her. She just happened to be alone in my office when Simon called and left a message on my machine about when I was changing next. Let's just say that he didn't sit right for a week. She figured out what he meant and confronted me on it. Turns out that I wasn't the only supernatural working at the agency. She's a clairvoyant, which is like a psychic. I didn't mind her teasing until she met Tori and now everyday when I get to work, she always greets me as "wolfy."

Anyway, sitting at the table, my thoughts were interrupted by the phone ringing. Setting down my fork, I pushed my chair back and stood up. I walked over to the phone and picked it up, turning it on as I put it to my ear.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Souza?" a voice answered.

"Yes?" I asked.

"This is Miles Leonard from the agency. I think I may have a lead for you," Miles said.

"What kind of lead?" I asked, walking over to the counter and picking up a pen.

"We found a number on the second victim that we traced to an address downtown," he said.

"A phone number?" I asked, wondering how I missed that.

"We assumed that was what it was," he said.

"Alright," I said. "What's the number and address?"

"The number is 518-256-5165. The address is 132 1st street," he said.

I wrote the number down, thanked him for the information and hung up. I walked over to the table picked up my plate, setting it in the sink. I'd wash it when I got back. Walking over to the door, I grabbed my jacket, just in case, and my keys. I opened the door and walked out, locking it behind me. There might not be anybody for miles, but I've seen enough to keep my doors locked.

I walked over to my car and got in. Once I had got situated, I started the car and shifted into drive. I considered calling Danny, but she isn't one for field work, and as much as we got along, I'm still not one to tolerate whining. I'd wait until after and see if the lead was legit before bringing her in. I looked over at the clock and read 9:26. I had plenty of time.

I pulled into a parking space and killed the engine. In front of me was an apartment building. By the look of the place, I doubted anybody lived there. Just from the outside I could tell it hadn't been leased in years. The windows were all cracked and broken, some missing entirely. The paint was chipped and peeling and the shutters on the windows were hanging from their last hinge, waiting for the wind. I doubted I would find anything, but it's the only lead I've gotten in a while.

I walked up the door and pushed away the plywood door dangling from the top of the entryway. As I did, I heard a crack and the board came crashing down. I stepped backward to avoid being hit and stepped over it, into the building. In front of me was a long hallway with a set of stairs at the end. I wasn't sure where I was going, so I took a sample of the air to see if I could smell anything familiar. Taking in a deep breath, I automatically sneezed. The place was thick with dust. I hadn't noticed it before, but dust lined the wall. Hanging from the ceiling were cobwebs.

I took a step forward, looking into open doors. Empty. Just like I expected. After I had passed a few rooms, I looked back at the wall and stopped. Every so often, there was a bare spot on the wall. Something had rubbed some of the dust away. I looked ahead and saw the same thing. On the right side of every doorway, there was a spot with dust missing. Like someone had leaned their hand on the wall while peeking their head into the room. I followed the trail of missing dust until I reached the stairs. The railing was the same. Dust was missing all the way up. Every couple of inches, it would be gone completely, while in between, there was a light layer. Like someone had grabbed the railing and didn't let go all the way when they went up a step. Making sure not to touch the railing, I walked up the stairs, testing each one first to make sure they were sturdy. When I was almost to the top, I saw one of the steps were caved in. I stepped over it and onto the top floor.

The hallway was the identical to the first floor. But there was something different about this one. On the first couple of doors, the story was the same. Someone had leaned against the side and peaked inside. However, on the 5th door in, it changed. It was the last door to have dust missing, which meant it was the last room the person had went into. Walking to it, I looked in and was surprised at what I saw. Like the others, it was a one room apartment, with a small bathroom to the side. However, while the other rooms were empty, this one was not. On the right wall was a little kitchen, the cabinets falling apart, dishes thrown over the counter and the floor. In the middle was a small bed, the mattress flung off and the bedspring was cut open by what looked like a knife. The left corner was what really caught my attention. In the corner was a small crib. I walked over to it and looked inside. It was practically empty except for a small, pink baby blanket and a little teddy bear. I reached in and grabbed the bear. Holding it in front of me, I lifted it to me noise. I caught a tiny whiff of something, but that was all. Whatever had last touched it was long gone. I turned the bear over and wiped some of the dust off the back. Underneath the dust was tiny writing. Squinting, I read "to my Maddi, may you forever be thankful for your gift."

Still holding the bear, I looked over the floor, which was covered in what looked to be everything the person owned. Most of them were pictures. Reaching down, I grabbed one. I wiped away some of the dust to reveal a face. It was a woman's face. She was smiling and looking down at something. When I wiped more dust away, I saw a baby about 4 months old in her arms, gripping the teddy bear in her tiny hands. The baby looked just like the woman. Each had brown hair and their eye color was the same rich blue. _It must be her daughter,_ I thought.

Looking around, I saw an empty box lying on the floor. I picked it up and started filling it with pictures and other things that I could use for the investigation. I walked over to the closet and grabbed the handle. I turned it and opened it a little bit when a smell hit me. The strong metallic smell entered my nostrils and coated my tongue, almost making me gag. Creaking open the door, I looked inside, taking a sharp intake of breath. The inside of the closet was coated in blood. Fresh blood. Based on the amount of blood, I would say somebody was killed here. I would have guessed the mother; however, the scent was wrong. I didn't need to know the mother's scent to tell me that this wasn't her. It was male. I leaned down and breathed in the scent. There was something familiar about the scent. Something in the back of my mind told me that I had smelled it before, but I couldn't place where.

I stood up and looked back at the floor. While most of the pictures were covered in dust, there was a pile that wasn't. I walked over to them and leaned down. They weren't pictures. They were papers. Picking them up, I tried reading them, but couldn't make anything out of them. The ink had run. They were virtually useless. However, someone wanted these papers. Or something like them. They were the only thing not covered in dust, which meant that they weren't on the floor when whoever lived here left. They were dumped when the man was killed. Picking up the papers, I put them in the box. I walked back to the closet and leaned back down to the blood. Ignoring the rotting smell, I breathed in enough to convert the scent to memory. Standing back up, I walked over to the crib and grabbed the baby blanket and the teddy bear and set them in the box. I grabbed the box and walked back into the hallway. I stopped at the first door on my way out and leaned into the spot where the dust was worn away. I breathed in the smell. It was the man.

I walked down the stairs and out the door to the outside. As soon as stepped outside, I was glad I had grabbed my jacket. From the look of the skies, it was going to rain soon. I walked over to my car and opened the back door. I set the box on the seat and got into my own. Starting the car, I looked over at the clock. 2:36. I'd been in there longer than I thought. Looking back at the box, I knew I would need Danny's help going through a lot of this stuff. Being a clairvoyant, she can touch an object and sometimes get visions. That's what made her good at her job. That, and when we needed information out of a man, she was good at that. However, I didn't want to bring her in until I had gone through it first. I didn't want her to touch the wrong thing. Looking back at the clock, I decided that I had time to talk to Miles about the lead. I knew he was going to be at the park with a bunch of the guys from work, like he was most days after his shift ended.

Parking, I shut off the engine and got out. It had started to rain, but not that hard, which meant Miles was probably still here. If not, I'd just wasted 5 minutes out of my day. Locking the doors, I walked around people heading to their cars to avoid the rain. When the crowd had thinned out, I was able to look around. What I saw, though, make me stop dead in my tracks. Sitting on a bench just 50 feet away was a young woman. Her legs were drawn up underneath her and her head was leaning in her lap. I couldn't see her face because her strawberry blond hair was covering it. Her clothes were almost soaked and her hair was messy and snarled. She looked so familiar. I knew I should know her, but I just couldn't place it. A sudden breeze swept her scent to me and it came to me.

"Chloe?"

**Okay everybody, I apologize again for the wait. Does this chapter make up for the suckier one before? And I've decided to do something. I have some ideas for one-shots that I might write. If I'm late in my updates, I may give you guys a one-shot to make the wait seem shorter. What do you think?**


	5. What Was I Thinking?

**Okay everyone, I know that it's been a while and all I have to say for myself is shame on me. Some of the blame does go to school however. I have to write this 12-15 page paper and so far it is kicking my butt. Anyway, I have 2 more weeks of actual school and then a week of finals. If you guys can bear with me until then, I promise I will be better with my updates. And as for the finals, I really won't have to spend any extra time with those cause they are just basically regular tests, so all I ask is those 2 weeks of touch and go updates, please. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**Chloe's POV. (Hopefully you guys have detected a pattern with the POVs. I'm going to try and keep it)**

_What was I thinking? Why would he stay in Albany of all places? Why hadn't I thought this through? _There was no way I could afford to pay for a plane ticket back home, not that I really had a home to go to.When I got reunited with my dad, he created a new bank account for me. One was the original account that had my allowance, and the other was one I could use. He put a password on the first one so I couldn't spend it all and I was allowed only what was in the second one until the next month when money would automatically be transferred. I guess he was worried about me running off again and he didn't want that much money in my hands. I wasn't offended when I found out. I understood that he was worried about me and it never really mattered because I never spent even close to what was in my allowed account. Now, however, I was regretting his decision. The plane ticket here had pretty much cleaned me out until two weeks when there would be more.

_What am I going to do until then? _I had nowhere to stay. I couldn't afford a hotel for two weeks. I only had enough for a few days. Besides my money issue, I still needed to find Derek. For all I know, he may not even be in the same country. My best bet would be to hire a private investigator. But I only know his name and he might have changed that for safety. And if an investigator found him, he might not want to be found. He could be in hiding from something.

I groaned. When did my life get so complicated? There I was, living like a normal person. I still had a little trouble with my powers but I was managing. I had made new friends and I was two weeks away from graduating. I had even been accepted to UCLA. My life had been going so well. I still missed everybody, even Tori. I thought about them a lot. I even had the occasional nightmare which included my knight in shining armor. Well, shirtless knight in shining armor. After my initial reaction to Derek, he didn't look so bad. His acne was clearing up and he needed less showers. But that was then. I had no idea what he looked like now. _Would I even recognize him now? _

Then another thought hit me. _Am I intruding? Has he gotten a new life since then and am I just bringing back old memories he'd rather just keep locked away? Is he…involved with someone? _I couldn't picture the girl he'd be involved with. When I knew him, he had no interest in girls, so I had no idea the kind of girl that would be his type. _If he is involved, would she be human? _That would certainly complicate things. How would he explain me to her?

Taking a deep breath, I lifted my head from my lap. I looked around the park. Some clouds were moving in, looking like rain. Some people were leaving before it started raining, but others stayed. Across from me was a patch of grass. A few kids were kicking a ball back and forth on it. I smiled. They looked to be about eight years old. The youngest was a little girl who looked about six. I was guessing she was the sister of one of the boys. As the boys kicked the ball back and forth, they made sure to include the girl, even though she could barely get the ball farther than a foot. It reminded me of when I was travelling with Simon and Derek and Tori. Even though I could barely take care of myself, Simon and Derek would occasionally take my advice on something.

The first thing I felt was a single raindrop hit my cheek. When it did, I looked up, only to be met with a sudden downpour. I flinched at the sudden cold and tried to pull my jacket tighter around me. Unfortunately for me, my jacket had been hanging off my shoulders and the inside was exposed, so when I pulled it to me, I soaked my shirt. _Just my luck._ I crossed my legs under me and leaned my head between them. After a while, the rain lightened up to a drizzle, but I still kept my face tucked between my legs. There really wasn't a point in lifted it. There was really nothing to look at.

After a while of sitting there, I heard a foot scrape softly against the pavement and stop. It wasn't until I heard my name that I looked up. It was softly spoken and I almost didn't hear it. I looked over to my right and at first didn't believe what I was seeing. Standing a little ways off was a man. He looked a little older than me. He was tall. Really tall. His black hair hung a little in his face. _It can't be. But he looks just like him. Oh, please be him._

"Derek?" I whispered. If it was, he'd hear me.

His worried expression deepened and he took a hesitant step towards me. "Chloe?"

Not trusting my voice, I nodded. He walked toward me slowly. "Are you alright?"

_Alright? He didn't know what had happened so why did he think anything was wrong? _Then it hit me. _I must look horrible. I haven't looked in a mirror for two days. I'm wearing the same clothes I was wearing when I found my dad, meaning my right sleeve was still full of blood. _Looking down, I was relieved when I found that my jacket was still covering the wound. I didn't want Derek to freak out.

"Chloe?"

I looked up. Derek had moved in front of me. He was leaning down so his face was a little lower than mine. Looking into his green eyes, so filled with concern, there was no doubt to who was standing in front of me.

"What was the question?" I asked.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

I thought about lying for a second but thought against it. I came to Derek for help. If I wanted him to help me, he needed to know what he was in for.

"No," I said, softly.

He studied my face for a second before getting back up and holding out his hand. I reached out and grasped his hand. When his hand tightened around mine, I shivered at the instant warmth. _His hands are so large and strong. Now is not the time!_ He pulled me gently to my feet. Once I was steady, he let go of my hand and I instantly missed the warmth. He must have noticed my discomfort because the next thing I knew, I had his jacket wrapped around my shoulder. He then reached down and grabbed my small bag.

"Thank you," I said, so soft I didn't think he would hear.

He just nodded and started walking at a slow pace. I knew he was doing it for me and I was grateful. After sitting for a long time, getting up reminded me how much my leg had fallen asleep and I was even more aware of my lack of sleep or food. I needed both, but they would have to wait. I didn't want to spend any of my quickly depleting money until I absolutely needed it and I didn't want Derek to feel like he needed to pay for me.

We walked in silence as he led me through the park. I think we were both a little in shock. I wanted to say something, but nothing would come out. Before I could think of anything, we had stopped in front of a black car. Derek reached inside his pocket and grabbed out a set of keys. He pressed the unlock button and walked over to the passenger door. I waited a little ways off while he opened the door and took out a box. Before he put it into the back seat, I saw some pictures and a little teddy bear. _Does he have children? He's a little young, but it's not impossible?_

When he had shut the back door, he moved over and motioned for me to get into the passenger seat. I walked past him and sat down. He shut the door after me and walked over to his side, where he got in and started the car. When he put him hand on the shifter, he stopped. He hesitated for a second before he turned to me.

"Do you need to be somewhere?" he asked.

I thought for a second before responding. "No."

He nodded and sat there for a second. "Do you live close by?"

"California," I said.

"So, that would be a no," he said, almost to himself.

He took a deep breath and turned to me. "Is there a reason you're here in New York?"

I nodded and he gave me a look that said, "_Really_?"

I laughed softly. It felt good seeing the Derek I knew. "I was looking for someone."

"Who?" He asked. "Because I can give you a ride to them if you need it."

"That won't be necessary," I said.

"Why?" he asked.

"Cause I found him," I said.

"Then why are yo-" he started, then realization hit him and he turned away. However, he didn't turn fast enough to hide the small smile on his lips. When he turned back, the smile was gone. "You came all the way from California to find me?"

This time when I nodded, he accepted it. "Why did you want to find me?"

I took a deep breath and said, "I'm in trouble."

"What kind of trouble?" he asked.

I looked at him and thought of how I would tell him and where I would begin. There was so much to explain but I didn't think I could keep my voice steady the whole time. Instead, I looked over at my arm. I looked back at Derek and shrugged off his jacket. Then I grabbed the collar of mine and pulled it down, pulling my arm out of the sleeve. I heard Derek gasp silently and saw him stiffen out of the corner of my eye. When I turned back to look at him, he didn't meet my eyes. His eyes were fixed on my arm, which was still covered in dried blood. He stared for a minute longer before his eyes met mine. No words were spoken as he turned back to face the front while shifting his car into drive and pulling onto the highway. I didn't know where he was taking me and I didn't ask.

A half hour later, he turned off the main road onto a dirt road with a mailbox at the end of it. I assumed that this was his driveway. My assumption was proved correct as he broke through the trees. In front of us was a large house. It was a little like the safe house we stayed at when we were on the run, but it wasn't rundown like the safe house. Instead, it was a clean white and looked freshly painted. I knew it was old though, because the shapes of the windows were and the shutters were an old style. I didn't see any other vehicles, so if he was involved with someone, they weren't home.

When he shut off the car, he unbuckled his seat belt and opened the door. I put the jackets back on and followed suit. When I was out, I shut the door and waited for Derek. He had opened the back door and grabbed the box with the teddy bear in it. When he had in securely in his hands, he bumped his hip against the door to close it. I followed to the door of the house. He stopped when he got there and scowled.

"What?" I asked.

"The keys are in my pocket. Could you get them out?" he asked.

My breath hitched a little as I looked down at his pocket. He wanted me to put my hand in his pocket. So close to his… I shook my head. Now was not the time to be thinking about that. I look a deep breath and reached in. I felt the cool metal of the key and pulled it out. Because he was holding the box, I shoved the key in the lock and turned. I pushed the door open and stepped inside, making room for Derek to walk by. I took the key out of the lock and set it on the table by the door. When I turned around, Derek was already gone. I took that as a sign to follow him. The problem was that I didn't know which direction he went. He either went left or right. I chose a direction and walked. Left brought me to a hallway. I walked by a door and peeked in. it was a small living room with the usual furnishings: a couch, a recliner and a TV. I looked at the room across the hall and saw what I assumed was the dining room because basically all that was there was a table and chairs with a cabinet that looked like it held china. I continued walking to the last two rooms. On my left was a bathroom. On my right was the kitchen. I smiled. I guessed this was one of the rooms Derek spent most of his time.

I walked into the kitchen and looked around. While the outside of the house may show the older design, the inside was a mixture of old and new. The counters and cabinets had that old look to them, but the appliances were all modern. In the middle of the room was an island. It was littered with what looked like bills and the like. I didn't really need to know Derek's financial situation so I didn't look. Instead, I walked out of the kitchen back into the hall and backtracked. When I got to the front hall, I saw stairs I didn't see before. I guess I was too preoccupied. I still had more of the bottom floor, so I put those off until later. I walked to the right of the front door and saw that there were only three rooms. One on my left, one on my right, and one ahead of me. The room to my left was a small bedroom. The room on the right was another bathroom. I opened the door in front of me and gasped. In front of me were shelves and shelves of books. I walked through and looked at the titles. Most of them were books on Supernaturals. When I got to the end of the books, I saw a tiny version of a living room. There was a loveseat and various chairs. In front of the loveseat was a small coffee table, which held the box that Derek had. The only thing different about this small living room was that instead of a television, it had a fireplace.

"There you are," a voice said behind me.

I shrieked and jumped a few feet in the air. I turned around to see Derek sporting an apologizing look.

"Sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Well that's what you get for sneaking up on people," I said, trying to get my breathing under control.

"Sorry, I live alone, so I'm not used to other people here," he said, walking around me. In his hand was a small bowl with water. In his other hand was a wash cloth, a pair of tweezers and other things.

"That's alright," I said.

He motioned for me to come over to him. I walked over and sat down in the loveseat. He sat down on the coffee table in front of me.

"Cleaning the wound first, story after," he said.

**Okay, so now that it's extended, what do you think? Following my pattern, the next chapter will be Derek's POV.**


	6. Where Do I Start?

**Okay everyone, I'm really sorry for the wait. I've been on summer break for a week now and so far the most productive thing I've done is get up in the morning. Also, my dad is building a pole barn and he expects me to help with it so that limits my writing time. Anyway, I want to thank all of you who have reviewed my story. I got a lot more reviews for this story than I expected. This was mostly something that I wrote because I was bored. Anyway, if you have read my other stories, Holiday Happenings or MTC, you know that I may have a new story premiering in mid June. I have decided to do it if and only if I can get up to chapter ten with this story by mid June. Wish me luck. Also, I need a name for this story, so if anybody has any ideas, I'd be glad to hear them.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Darkest Powers**

**Derek's POV**

I picked up the washcloth and set in the bowl of water. When I lifted it back out, I squeezed the excess water out and turned towards Chloe. She was looking down at her hands, which were folded in her lap. Her hair was hanging over her face, hiding it. Her hair was mussed up and a little frizzed from the rain. Her clothes were also soaked and I made a mental note to find her something dry to wear, even if I had nothing remotely feminine in the house. As I looked at her, I took in the changes from when I last saw her. Her hair was back to strawberry blond; this time without any dye. I realized this was the first time I had ever seen her without any dye in her hair. Her legs were a little longer, meaning she had grown a little bit. Not much, from what I saw, but a little. Her clothes were a little wrinkled, meaning she hadn't changed them in a while. She still had her jacket on, so I couldn't see the wound, though I could smell the blood. I could also smell the metal from a bullet.

"Take off the jacket," I said.

She looked up at me, then grabbed at the middle of the jacket and tugged it off. She pulled it from behind her and set it on the floor. Underneath she was wearing a T-shirt, she I could easily get at the wound. I could also easily see the wound. Dried blood covered it with a trail of blood that had run down her arm.

"Lean toward me a little," I said, moving a little closer so I could have better access. She turned so that her arm was facing me and moved so that she was resting on top of her left leg. I lifted the washcloth and started wiping away blood at the bottom. As I started, I used my other hand to grip her arm to steady her. When I wrapped my hand around her arm, I noticed how thin it was. I could fit my entire hand around it. I refocused on the blood and started to gently wipe it away. As I worked my way up, Chloe sat still. Her face didn't give away any off the emotions she must be feeling. I wondered how she had gotten shot and why. I wondered why I was taking care of this and not a doctor or her aunt. Most importantly, I wondered why she had come all the way from California to see me. What kind of trouble was she in that she had to come searching for me of all people.

When I got up to where the wound actually was, I paused. I left go of her arm and rinsed the washcloth off in the bowl of water. I didn't want to take any more chances of it getting infected. I turned back to Chloe and grabbed her arm again, this time a little tighter.

"This is going to hurt," I said.

She nodded. When I touched the cloth to the wound, I felt her muscles tighten underneath my hand. I worked my way around the wound a little before getting to the source. When I did, I felt something catch on the cloth and Chloe hissed in pain. Apologizing, I lifted the cloth to see the bullet. It wasn't lodged in very far so it would be easier to get out. Unfortunately, when the bullet had caught on the cloth, I jerked the bullet, which opened the wound more. I held the cloth back wound to staunch the bleeding. I needed to get the bullet out so I could bind her arm, but I could do that it I had to hold the cloth.

"Chloe," I said. Her head turned toward mine. "Can you hold the cloth?"

She shifted and reached her left hand up to grab the cloth. When she did, he hand brushed mine and I felt a shock go up my arm. I brushed it off as not being used to being touched. I kept my left hand gripped around her arm as I reached over to the table and grabbed the tweezers. As I picked them up a thought occurred to me. I let go of her arm and grabbed the bottle of alcohol. I wasn't about to go digging into her skin unless the tweezers were sterilized. I opened the bottle and poured a little of the alcohol onto the tweezers over the bowl of water. I shook off the excess alcohol and went back to work. Re-gripping her arm, I told her to take off the cloth. The bleeding had slowed, but it would pick up again when the bullet was out. Before I went for the bullet, I looked up and met her eyes. She took a deep breath and tightened her jaw, preparing for the pain. I looked back down and moved the tweezers. I had to pull apart her skin a little to get the tweezers past. I carefully stuck them in and closed the ends around the end of the bullet, slowly pulling it out. When I did, I quickly grabbed the cloth out of Chloe's hand and pressed it to the wound. She turned to look at me and looked at the small bullet held in the tweezers. She held out her hand and I dropped it into her palm. I couldn't decipher the look that past over her face but I knew it was of pain.

"This next part is going to hurt," I said.

"More than taking out a bullet?" she asked.

"Yeah," I said.

I grabbed her hand and placed it back on the cloth and her face went red. I grabbed the alcohol bottle and a cotton ball and I poured a little on the ball. I nodded for Chloe to take off the cloth and I said, "This may sting a little."

I pressed the cotton to the wound and this time I felt her entire body tighten. She didn't make a sound, but the look on her face said it hurt. I quickly dabbed the wound and around it and then reached for the bandages. I cut off a strip and wound it around her arm. When it was secure, I moved back and rested more on the table.

"Done," I said.

She moved her arm and looked at her arm. "When will I not be covered in bandages?"

"When do you plan on dying?" I asked, getting up and gathering the supplies. I felt her hit my leg lightly and I smiled. I walked to the bathroom and put away the stuff. When I returned, she was still sitting on the couch.

"Okay," I said, walking back in front of her and taking a seat on the table again. "Start talking."

"Where do I start?" she asked.

"Who shot you?" I asked.

"I don't know," she said.

"How can you not know?" I asked.

"It was dark and they were wearing dark clothes," she said.

"Well was it a man or a woman?" I asked.

"I couldn't tell," she said, looking down.

"Can you remember anything about them?" I asked, softly.

"I hit them with a door," she said.

I stared at her for a second before I started to laugh. She looked up at me, her look questioning.

When I stopped laughing, I said, "The Chloe Saunders weapon of choice: a door."

She thought about it for a second before she started to laugh too. I watched her as she laughed and saw some natural color come back to her face, which was too pale for my liking. When she stopped, she was gasping for breath and holding her side.

"Thank you," she said, smiling.

"For what?" I asked, completely confused. I had basically just made fun of her.

"I needed that laugh," she said.

"You're thanking me for a laugh?" I said.

"A laugh I really needed," she said, matter-of-factly.

I stared at her for a second before continuing, "Where were you when you got shot?"

"You sound like a detective," she said. "Did you stay up watching cop shows?"

"I am a detective," I said, "Sort of."

"Do you have a badge?" she asked, leaning forward on her knees, which she had been kneeling on.

I rolled my eyes and reached into my pocket. I held out my wallet and she took it. She opened it and smiled.

"I suddenly feel compelled to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth," she said.

I snatched back my wallet and said, "Focus."

She smiled and said, "Sorry. What was the question?"

"Where were you shot?" I said.

"At home," she said.

"Was there anybody there with you?" I asked, adding, "Besides the shooter."

Her face clouded over and she looked down at her hands. She took a minute to answer.

"My dad," she said.

"Did he see the shooter?" I asked.

"Probably," she said, quietly, "He looked surprised."

"What do you mean he looked surprised?" I asked.

"When I found him," she said.

"When you-" Then I understood. I took in her slumped shoulders; that defeated look on her face as a lone tear flowed down her cheek. That was enough questions for now. I didn't want to push her. I took a deep breath and said, "Are you hungry?"

She looked up at me and gave me a small smile. "The Derek Souza answer to everything: food."

I smiled back. "Why don't you take a shower while I make us something to eat?"

"Alright," she said, standing up.

"About your clothes," I said. "I don't really have anything remotely feminine. I might be able to find something of Tori's that I haven't given to good will yet."

"Good will?" she asked.

"Tori and Simon come to stay with me in the summer and Tori always manages to leave clothes behind and I don't really want them here so I gave them to good will," I said.

"You're a very loving brother," she said.

"I clearly told her not to leave them behind and if she didn't listen, that's not my problem," I said.

Chloe smiled and followed me as I walked to the stairs. I took two at a time and waited for her at the top. When she got up, I lead her to the bathroom.

"I'll see if I can find anything for you to wear while you're in there. I'll set them outside the bathroom for you," I said.

"Thank you," she said.

"As for dinner," I said, "Is pizza okay? I'd rather order."

"Pizza's fine," she said.

I nodded and let her shut the door. I walked into the room across the hall and started looking through the closet. Empty. Next I checked the dresser. When I got to the bottom drawer, I found a pair of sweatpants. I grabbed them out and unfolded them. They looked like they would fit. Now for a shirt. I figured one of mine would work, so I walked down the hall to my room and grabbed one from my closet. I went back to the bathroom and set them down outside the door.

When I got downstairs, I located the phone and ordered the pizza. Now I just had to wait. I figured Chloe would be in the shower for a while. I felt bad for what had happened to her. I knew she wasn't that close to her dad last time I had saw her, but that might have changed since then. Even if it hadn't, losing her father would still be horrible. And from what I gathered, she had found his body. That must have been traumatizing. I was amazed though. Even after finding her father, she had managed to stay composed enough to escape a killer and make it to safety. Of all the stupid things she had done, she always managed to do something to balance the scale.

"Penny for your thoughts," a voice said behind me, causing me to jump. I turned to see Chloe trying to hide a smile.

"I didn't hear you come down," I said.

"I figured as much," she said.

I looked her over. Her hair was still wet and hung loosely, soaking the top of the shirt. My shirt was too big for, obviously, and hung about halfway to her knees. The pants fit fine, stopping halfway from her knees to her ankles. They were shorter on Tori, but they looked better on Chloe. I opened my mouth to speak, but a knock on the door prevented that. I have a doorbell, but that makes my ears ring and I order enough for them to know to knock.

I walked to the front door and paid the guy, making sure to add a good tip for remembering to knock. I turned around to see Chloe standing there. "There are drinks in the fridge in the kitchen."

"Okay," she said, "What do you want?"

"Cokes fine," I said as she walked down the hall. I went the opposite direction into the den and walked over to the table, setting the pizza down and sitting down on the couch. I minute later, Chloe came in and handed me a coke. She set hers on the table and sat down on the other end of the couch. She reached forward to grab a slice and then sat back, drawing up her feet. We ate in silence until the pizza was gone and then we just sat on the couch. We sat in comfortable silence until I looked over at her ankle. There was black on it.

"What is that?" I asked.

She pushed her leg underneath her. "What is what?"

I grabbed for her leg and she tried to dodge me. She tried to jump over me, but I grabbed her ankle and she did a face plant into the cushions. I twisted her leg and she turned over.

"Thanks a lot," she said, sarcastically.

I ignored her comment and looked at the black spot. It was a small black paw print.

"What is this?" I asked.

"It's called a tattoo," she said.

"Why do you have a tattoo?" I asked.

"Because I wanted one," she said.

"You know this is going to be on your skin forever," I said.

"That's why it's on my ankle," she said. "It's by the ground. Nobody looks at my feet when I walk."

"Why is it a paw print?" I asked.

Her face turned bright red and she looked down. "It sounded like a good idea at the time."

I stared at her for another second before letting go of her ankle. She pulled it back and sat up. Out of nowhere, she let out a huge yawn.

"When's the last time you slept?" I asked.

"I slept a little on the plane," she said.

"Well, you need a full night's sleep in a bed, not an airplane seat," I said, standing up. I held out my hand and she accepted it. I pulled her up and she grabbed my arm, steadying herself. She let go and I started to lead her out. Her exhaustion must have hit her because she grabbed my arm and leaned against me for support. I walked slower and led her upstairs. I stopped outside Tori's room.

"This is Tori's room," I said. "But I don't have any empty rooms. We'll have to come up with something else when Tori gets here, but until then, you can sleep here."

"Thank you," she said softly. She opened the door and stepped in. Before closing the door, she said, "Goodnight Derek."

"Night Chloe," I said. I waited until I heard her get into bed and then went downstairs to clean up the food mess. I'd get more information out of her tomorrow.

**Again, sorry for the wait. I think I got punished for the wait. I was writing this and then I went to go eat dinner and on my way back, I stepped on a declawed cat and she managed to claw up my foot. Now it looks like my foot got ran over by a saw. **


	7. Must Be An Old Friend

**Okay everyone, thank you to all that reviewed. I am now up to 85 reviews! Think I can break 100 with this chapter? Anyway, most of you talked about Chloe's reaction to Danny, so guess what? If you answered Chloe gets to meet Danny in this chapter, then congratulations, you are right. And I'm really sorry if this chapter sucks. I just really wanted to get it done because you guys have waited so long. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**Chloe's POV  
**

I felt a breeze blow my hair onto my face. My nose scrunched up from the tickling hair and I reached up to brush it away. As I brushed it away, I let my arm keep going and I turned onto my back, stretching my arms out. A chirp sounded next to me and I turned to look out the open window and saw a bird sitting on the window sill. It tilted its head at me and hopped a little closer. I smiled at its curiosity. More chirping started farther outside and the bird flew away. I turned back and looked around the room. The morning light streamed through and made a straight line down the center of the room. The rest of the room was shadows. I looked at the alarm clock next to me and saw it was 10:30. I groaned. I didn't want to get up. I reached to brush the sand out of my eyes. Sitting up, I looked toward the door and saw something sitting on a chair. I pulled the blankets back and stepped out onto the cold floor. I walked over to the chair and picked up what I found to be my clothes. Derek must have washed them. I grabbed the clothes and left the room. Walking across the hall, I went into the bathroom for a quick shower.

When I was clean, I made my way down the stairs. I was wondering where Derek was when I heard voices coming from the kitchen. I tentatively walked to the kitchen and stopped at the doorway. Inside was Derek sitting the table drinking a cup of coffee and reading something. And he wasn't alone. A woman was looking through the fridge. She was a little taller than me with long black hair tied in a pony. She had purple streaks running through her hair. _Is she his girlfriend? She's pretty._

"You know, Derek, you have absolutely nothing good in this fridge," she said, continuing to stare into it.

"And by good you mean alcoholic?" he said, not looking up from his papers.

"Exactly," she said.

"Danny, it's 10:30 in the morning. Why the hell do you want a drink at 10:30 in the morning?" he asked.

"Well, if I have a drink at 10:30 at night, I might get drunk," she said.

"And drinking in the morning prevents drunkenness?" he asked, sarcastically.

"Now you understand," she said, standing up straight. She turned and was about to say something when she saw me. Her eyes widened and she said, "Who are you?"

Derek looked up at her and followed her eyes, turning around to see me standing in the doorway.

"Morning," he said.

"Morning," I said, softly.

"I would have woken you but I figured you would want to sleep in," he said.

"Thanks," I said. "I needed the sleep."

He nodded and turned back. The woman gave him a questioning look and he said, "Danny, this is Chloe. Chloe, this is Danny."

"Hi," I said, staying in the doorway.

"Hey," she said, closing the fridge. She looked at Derek and smiled. With a devious look, she said, "And how was _your_ night?"

"Not as good as yours," he said.

She smiled and lifted herself onto the counter. "You're probably right."

_What are they talking about?_ I moved quietly around the table and pulled a chair out. Derek reached out and moved the papers in front of me out of my way. I offered him a small smile as thanks and folded my hands in front of me. He stacked his papers into one pile and continued his conversation with Danny. I didn't catch everything they were saying, but from what I did understand, they were talking about some case and some apartment that Derek had found. I didn't understand the context, so I zoned them out and looked over at a paper that he had forgotten to stack. It looked like a medical report, but different. I'd seen plenty of medical reports being the niece of a doctor, but there were differences on this one. While Derek's head was turned, I discreetly pulled the paper over to me and looked at it. It was definitely medical, but it looked like an autopsy record. There were two names on it: Zachary Singe and Marissa Noyes. Derek said last night that he was a detective and the report showed they were murdered, so I was guessing that he was investigating their deaths. I had some difficultly reading the paper but from what I gathered, they were both burned. At the word burned, something clicked in my head. It reminded me of something, but I couldn't place what it was.

"Chloe?"

I looked up to see Derek and Danny looking at me. "Huh?"

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

"A little," I said.

"I was thinking about going out for breakfast," he said. "And then maybe going shopping for some clothes for you."

I was hesitant about answering. Though I needed clothes, I didn't have enough money to pay for it all. And if I told Derek about my money problem, he would insist on paying for me and I didn't want to make him pay for me. He seemed to sense my hesitance, however, and said, "I'm paying."

"You don't have to," I said.

"I know, but it was my idea so I'm paying," he said, standing up and pushing his chair in.

I wanted to argue but I knew that no matter how much I did, he would eventually get his way, so I didn't bother. Instead, I followed suit and stood up. As I did, Derek walked out of the kitchen and Danny followed him out. I figured I might as well follow them, so I walked out too. They stopped at the front door and Derek waited for us to walk out before locking the door. They walked over to his car and they got in, claiming the front seats. I got in the back and buckled in as Derek started the car and started driving. They started up a conversation but none of it was directed toward me so I just stared out the window. I couldn't tell if they were involved. They seemed pretty chummy and they way Danny was talking to him earlier could pass as flirting. And he didn't seem to mind it either. _Maybe they are together. Just because he lives alone doesn't mean that he doesn't have a girlfriend. But he didn't introduce her as his girlfriend._ Groaning silently, I leaned my head against the window. _Now I have a headache_.

After a half hour, Derek finally stopped the car. I looked up to see a little restaurant. Derek and Danny both got out so I figured I should too. The restaurant was definitely little inside. There were about five tables inside. It was mainly empty, however. One table was already claimed, but Derek automatically walked toward the back of the room. _They must eat here a lot. On a date?_

I sat down in a chair across from Derek and Danny. There were only four chairs per table so I couldn't sit next to Derek. We waited a second before a woman came out from a room which I assumed was the kitchen. She walked over to us with a friendly smile on her face.

"Haven't seen the two of you for a while," she said to Derek and Danny. She set down menus in front of everybody and took out a pad.

"Too much work," Danny said.

"Isn't there always?" the woman said. She took out a pen and held it over the pad. "So what can I get you to drink?"

"Got anything remotely alcoholic?" Danny asked.

"At 11 in the morning?" the woman asked. "Danny, you aren't even old enough to drink."

"19 is just a number," Danny said. "Besides, I'm very mature for my age."

Derek scoffed at her last remark. Danny glared at him and punched him in the arm. He didn't even flinch. The woman laughed and shook her head.

"One of these days you two are going to kill each other," she said.

"When's the next bus?" Derek asked, looking at his menu.

"What do you need a bus for?" Danny asked.

"To push you in front of," he said. His comment earned him another punch.

Danny looked back up at the woman and said, "I'll take a hot chocolate."

"There's no alcohol in it," the woman said, jokingly.

"I can pretend," Danny said.

"And for you," she said to Derek.

"I'll take a coke," he said.

"Alright," she said, writing it down. She then turned to me and smiled. "And what can I get you, dear?"

"I'll just take a water," I said.

She wrote it down and said, "Now how did you get involved with these two?"

"I'm a friend of Derek," I said.

"Must be an old friend," she said.

I nodded. She then turned to Derek and said, "You never mentioned any friends as pretty as her."

I blushed and looked down. _Pretty? Yeah right._

"You never asked," he said. "She's visiting from California so I haven't seen her in a while."

"I bet you have plenty of boyfriends," she said looking at me.

If I wasn't blushing before, I was now. I had lost my stutter a while ago, but it seemed to find its way back. "N-n-not really."

"Well, that's their loss," she said. "But there is a bright side. Derek is free and I think you two would do very well together."

I didn't know what to say to that. I looked over at Derek to see him hit his forehead with the palm of his hand. "Thank you, Kathy."

"You are very welcome," she said, not being perturbed. "I'll just go get those drinks."

She walked away and Derek looked up at me. "I'm sorry about that. Kathy is…well, she's a little eccentric. She's always bothering me about my love life."

"Or lack of one," Danny said.

Derek gave her a look and continued, "She keeps trying to set me up with women."

"I'm guessing none of them struck your fancy," I said.

His mouth turned up at the corners and my heart skipped a beat at even the barest smile. _What is wrong with me? _

"They're not the type of women I'd really go for," he said.

"What was wrong with them?" I asked.

"They're just the type of women that either thinks too much of themselves or too little," he said.

"They were just fine," Kathy said, coming back with the drinks. "You are just too picky."

"Picky?" Derek asked.

"Yes picky. They were perfectly good women," she said, setting down the drinks.

"Every single one was slathered with makeup," he said.

"Well, if you prefer a more natural look, then you should do just fine with your friend here," she said.

He groaned and put his head in his hand. I smiled at his embarrassment. Kathy seemed to notice my smile and said, "And she has a lovely smile. You can't go wrong with someone with a beautiful smile."

"Thank you, Kathy," he said again.

"You're still welcome. I'll give you guys a few more minutes to decide," she said before walking toward the other table.

"You know, I think she may be right," Danny said.

"About what?" Derek asked.

"You two seem like you would make a very cute couple," she said.

This time he full on glared. She ignored him and turned to me, "Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't subject you to an evening with him. I just think that he needs a girlfriend and who better than somebody that already knows him? You wouldn't have to go through the embarrassment of learning that you're date is a cranky tightwad."

"Danny!" he said.

"Yes?" she said.

"Drop it," he said.

"Alright then," she said. "But don't be angry when I say I told you so."

I sat watching as they continued arguing. They must be really good friends._ But not dating. _I didn't know why that thought seemed to make my happy, but I dismissed it. I had enough problems that to start questioning myself. I would have joined in on the conversation, but I didn't know whether I was welcome to. They seemed really into what they were talking about. I could only catch a few words now and then. I knew that they were talking about the case they were working on and I guess it was members only, so I kept quiet. I wanted to know what Derek thought about my situation, but I didn't want to interrupt them. _I'll ask later. _

**Okay, so what do you think? I know that it sucks, but I just wanted to give you guys something. And I'm really sorry for the wait. I got halfway with this chapter and I kinda lost my train of thought. It took me a while to regain it, but here it is. As a side note, if anyone hasn't looked at my new poll, I would really appreciate it.**


	8. So Where's Maddi?

**First of all, I want to say that I AM A COMPLETE IDIOT! I feel so stupid. I made a very…huge mistake. You don't have to go back, but I'm changing their ages, only by a year. So Derek is now 20 and Chloe is 19, just finishing her first year of college. This will be explained later on. Also, there will be other characters whose age has been tampered with majorly. When they are truly introduced, I'm gonna receive a lot of reviews saying "aren't they supposed to be…" Anyway, I'm really sorry. When I started this, I guess I didn't take ages into account. Oops. **

**I got a recommendation to switch the rating to Mature because of their age. That's something I really have to think about. I've been thinking of doing an M rated story later on, but I haven't really come to a conclusion. I have an idea for a story called Broken Hearts that I will write eventually that I might do as an M rated story. This story, however, might take some time for me to really consider it. I need a more solid foundation of their relationship before anything M rated happens. **

**List of changes:**

**Derek is now 20**

**Chloe is 19**

**Marissa Noyes will be 23 (You'll understand later)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**Derek's POV **

Danny had left about an hour ago and I was left sifting through my new box of wonders. So far, those wonders consisted mostly of pictures of Marissa and who I assumed was Maddi. There was a good amount of pictures that filled about half of this very large box, so it was fair to assume that I had a ways to go. I had gone through about 100 of the pictures so far and they were all the same: Marissa and Maddi. Some of them had just Maddi, but none of them showed a man. I was hoping to find the man that was killed in that apartment. While I know that just because I see a man, it doesn't mean it's him, based on the content of these pictures, any man would stick out.

The clock chimed and I looked up. It was already 8:00. I looked up at the ceiling and listened. I still couldn't hear Chloe. When we got home from shopping, she went straight upstairs and hasn't been down since. I didn't really understand it. I thought the day had gone fine. A little awkward, granted, mostly on my part, but fine. After breakfast, we went clothes shopping and Chloe got new clothes. I was a little worried, though, on her lack of speaking. I tried steering the conversation towards her once and a while, but she never seemed to take the hint. It wasn't as if I blamed her, though. She must have a lot on her mind, with her father and all. I still had no idea on that and I knew that she wanted answers. Maybe if I knew more, but I didn't get a chance to get a moment alone with her to talk. Now would be a perfect time, but she won't come out.

I sighed and rested my head in my hands, running my hands through my hair. It was habit I picked up somewhere. I couldn't remember where I got it, but Simon always joked that if I kept doing it, my hair would stand straight up. Four years ago I would have believed him. Four years ago, my hair was so greasy that it wouldn't have surprised me if I could stick it straight up with just my fingers.

I shook my head and looked back at the box. I really didn't have anything besides the pictures and the bear. Danny couldn't get anything visions from anything, which didn't help. I'd have to go back. And this time, I'd have to bring others. I really didn't want to do that. Not the going back part, but the bringing others. Something about that place seemed almost sacred. Something the human part of my life wouldn't understand.

"Are you busy?" a voice said behind me, bringing me out of my thoughts. I turned around to see Chloe standing there with her arms crossed, looking uncomfortable.

"I cannot stress how not busy I am," I said, setting down a picture I had been holding. That earned me a small smile and her shoulders relaxed a little. I patted that cushion next to me and she walked over, sitting down. She still looked a little uncomfortable, though.

"Is your friend still here?" she asked.

"Danny?" I said, "No, she left an hour ago."

With that, her shoulders seemed to relax more and she leaned back, nodding. I wasn't sure what was wrong with Danny being here, but I didn't think into it. I watched as Chloe drew up her knees and got comfortable. Neither of us said anything, but it wasn't an awkward silence. She looked around the room and her eyes settled on the table. I saw her eyes focus on the teddy bear. She reached forward and picked it up. I watched her study it, turning it over and reading the message.

"Who's Maddi?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," I said, "I think she's the daughter of one of the victims"

"So where is she?" she asked, looking over at me.

"Who?" I asked.

"Maddi," she said.

I sat up and looked at the pictures ahead of me. I had never really thought of that. I had been so focused on finding the man that I hadn't considered what happened to Maddi.

"I don't know," I said, finally. I looked back at Chloe and looked down to the bear she was holding.

"What's the victim's name?" she asked.

"There are two," I said. "A man and a woman. The man's name was Zachary Singe and the woman was Marissa Noyes. I think Maddi was Marissa's daughter."

"Were Zachary and Marissa involved?" Chloe asked, shifting so that she was facing me.

I smiled. This was what I needed. Someone I could bounce ideas off of and review facts. Danny might be useful with her visions, but she can't stay focused on a topic. Chloe, however, was different.

"Not that I know of," I said. "I've talked to the family and friends of both and neither had ever heard of the other."

"Was there anything in common?" she asked.

"Just the way they died," I said.

"Which was?" she said.

"They were burned," I said, "From the inside out."

Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Is that even possible?"

"Apparently," I said.

She leaned back and looked at the table. "What's with the pictures?"

"I went to Marissa's apartment and found those," I said. "I just took what I could grab."

"You broke into her apartment and stole her stuff?" Chloe asked, obviously joking.

I rolled my eyes and said, "The entire building was abandoned."

"Then why was she living there?" she asked.

I thought for a second before saying, "I don't think she's been there in a while. There was dust everywhere. The only thing was…"

I cut myself off. I wasn't sure how much Chloe wanted to know. "Was?"

"Somebody _was _there recently," I said. I took a deep breath and continued, "At least two people."

"How do you know?" she asked.

"There was a body," I said. "It wasn't there but it used to be. The blood was still fresh."

"Maybe the blood was from Marissa," she suggested.

"It was a man," I said.

"How do you kn-" she cut herself off, then said, "Let me guess, your wolfy senses."

"Wolfy senses?" I said.

"Yeah, you know, like spidey senses," she said, "only fluffier."

I gave her a look and she bit back a laugh. She didn't hide the smile though and I was happy to see that it reached her eyes. She turned away and reached down to the table, grabbing a picture.

"She's pretty," she said.

I looked at the picture she was holding. "I guess I hadn't noticed."

"Really? Maddi's cute too," she said, "How old do you think she would be now?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, the photo isn't recent. Look at the calendar in the background," she pointed.

"It says April," I said. "How do you know it wasn't last month?"

"Did the 17th fall on a Saturday this year?" she asked, looking at me.

I grabbed the picture from her and looked closer. "I didn't notice that."

"So that begs the question what year had the 17th fall on a Saturday?" she asked.

I lowered my head and thought. I counted the previous 17ths until one fell on a Saturday.

"Three years ago," I said. "Which means that Marissa was 21. By the look of her here, Maddi must be around three."

"What do you think happened to her?" she asked.

"By the looks of the apartment, Marissa was raising her alone," I said. "When Marissa died, whoever killed her must have either killed Maddi or taken her."

"Poor Maddi," Chloe said quietly, as if to herself. "What about her father?"

I looked to the pictures that I had gone through. "There was no sign of a male living there."

"Well, that was before," she said. "You said the apartment hadn't been lived in for a while. So, where did they go between the time they moved and when she died?"

"And why didn't they take their belongings?" I said.

"Maybe Maddi is with her father," Chloe suggested.

"I doubt it," I said. "Why wait four three years to claim your child?"

"Maybe he didn't know she existed," Chloe said. I looked over at her and nodded, "Maybe."

"What does it say in your file?" she asked.

I looked over to the closed file. "There is no marriage certificate."

"She didn't have to be married to have a kid," Chloe said. "What about a birth certificate for Maddi? Wouldn't that have the father's name?"

"It would…if there was one," I said. "I couldn't find any mention of her. I looked through legal records this morning on my computer, but legally, Marissa doesn't have a daughter."

"Maybe Maddi isn't hers," she said.

"No, Maddi is definitely hers," I said. "Visually they look alike, but there are also genetic markers."

"So Maddi doesn't legally exist," she said. "Why?"

"Marissa didn't want the world to know about Maddi," I said.

"Maybe she was in witness protection," Chloe said.

"No, that would change Marissa's name, but it isn't a reason to hide Maddi,"

"Maybe she was hiding from someone," she said.

"Or hiding Maddi from someone," I said.

"From the father?" Chloe said.

"I doubt it," I said. "Marissa was killed. I could believe a disgruntled father killing her for his child, but then why killed Zachary? What did he have to do with it?"

"Okay, so focus on Maddi," she said. "What reasons are there for hiding your child?"

"Well, there's the father thing, but that was ruled out," I said.

"There is something else," Chloe said.

I looked at her and waited for her to continue.

"Well, we're just assuming that she's human," she said. "What if she's a supernatural?"

"Which has a lot more possibilities for why somebody would steal Maddi," I said, almost to myself. I looked up at Chloe and said, "Marissa could easily be on the run from a Cabal. It doesn't take much to piss them off."

"And if she was on the run," Chloe said, continuing, "the last thing she'd want them to know was that she had a daughter."

"Because that would create risks to both her and the baby," I finished. I smiled at her. A full smile. Finally we were getting somewhere.

"What next?" Chloe asked.

"You want to help?" I asked.

"Isn't that what I was just doing?" she asked, her eyebrow rising.

"Right," I said. "You can help me go though these pictures."

"What am I looking for?" she asked, grabbing a handful.

"A man," I said.

"Just a man?" she asked.

"All the pictures so far are just of Marissa and Maddi. I want to find the man who was killed in that apartment," I said. "I'm hoping that he's in one of these."

She nodded and started looking through them. I followed suit and grabbed a handful. An hour later, I had gotten nowhere. No man. I was about to call it a night what Chloe said, "Here's a man. Actually, more like a boy."

I looked over to see her looking at the picture, a confused look on her face. I looked at the picture and I'm sure the same look was on my face. It was Marissa. She was in a hospital bed holding onto a pink blanket, little brown hairs barely visible. A man sat next to Marissa, his arm around her shoulder. He wasn't looking at the camera, though. He was gazing down at the baby in Marissa's arms. My confusion wasn't for why this man was with Marissa. I had already concluded that he was most likely the father. My confusion was towards the man's face.

"He looks so familiar," Chloe said.

"He's clearly younger than her," I said. "Maybe a year younger than you."

"So three years ago, Marissa gets pregnant," she said. "When Maddi is born, the father is there for the birth. So he did know she existed. But then why did he disappear? Why didn't he live with them?"

"Maybe he didn't want a kid," I said.

Chloe looked at the picture and said, "No man looks at his child like that and _doesn't _want them."

"Or maybe he was the one hiding," I said. Chloe looked up at me and I continued, "Maybe he was the one on the run from the Cabal. They could have killed Marissa to get to him and then taken Maddi."

"No wonder he didn't live with them," Chloe said. "That poor man. Can you imagine what it must have felt like? Watching your child come into the world and knowing that you can't be there to raise her."

I didn't answer. I just looked at the picture. _So where's Maddi? _

**First, I'd like to apologize for the wait. This came out different than I imagined. Anyway, I will be going back and changing a few things. **


	9. I Fear You

**I am so sorry! I realize that it has been months since I've updated. And sadly, I really have no excuse beyond this chapter was impossible to right! I had a clear idea when I started like 5 months ago and I got like 4 pages in and I stopped writing. I tried to continue like two weeks later and I couldn't pick up where I left off. I just couldn't. So in an attempt to get a chapter out, I deleted what I had and I'm starting from scratch. And I realize that this chapter may not be my best work, but I needed to get it out. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**Chloe's POV**

Stepping out of the shower, I sighed. It felt so good to be clean and rested. I looked in the mirror and was happy to see that the bags under my eyes weren't as noticeable as days before. I was starting to feel like my life was becoming at least a little normal. However, I knew that feeling wouldn't last long. My life was currently in ruins and it would take more that a shower to fix it. I had been shot by someone who had killed my dad and I had fled the scene of a crime. I didn't know if anybody had found the body yet, but if they did, there was a good chance I was on the prime suspect list. I hadn't told Derek my worries about that. I wasn't sure if he had even thought about what happened to my dad since I told him and he was so busy with his case that I wasn't sure if I should bring it up.

Shaking my head, I walked out of the bathroom and headed toward the stairs. When I got to the bottom, I could hear voices coming from the kitchen. It was a guy's voice, but not as deep as Derek's. I cautiously made my way down the hall, stopping outside the kitchen. Taking a deep breath, I walked in, stopping in my tracks. Sitting on the counter was a blond man who, upon seeing me walk through the door, smiled so big it's a wonder he had any room for his nose or eyes. And if it's possible, Simon Bae had gotten even hotter. His blond hair hung just about eyes and he had a small goatee minus the mustache. He practically leapt off the counter and run to me, picking me up and spinning me, both of us laughing the entire time.

"Derek told me, but I couldn't believe it," he said, setting me down. "You're finally back."

"Finally?" I asked.

"Yes, finally. You know how much is sucked when you left?" he asked. "Tori was even more of a bitch and Derek was moping for like a month."

I glanced over at said werewolf who had conveniently turned his back and was searching through the fridge. "I didn't know I was missed so much."

"Are you kidding?" Simon asked.

"I really missed you guys, too," I said. "I wanted to talk so badly but Aunt Lauren conveniently lost your numbers."

"That's why you didn't call?" he asked. "I thought you forgot about us."

"Forget about you?" I asked. "Never."

"I've got to hug you again," he said, smiling and holding open his arms. I laughed and hugged him. When he let go, he said, "You look good, Saunders."

"You too, Bae," I said, "I didn't think it was possible, but I think you got even more hot."

"I can't help what comes naturally," he said, smiling.

"It must be such a burden," I said.

"Oh, you have no idea," he said, "Constantly having to flirt and getting so much attention. It's hell."

"I bet," I said, laughing.

"How about you?" he asked, "You must be swarming with guys."

"Not so much," I said. "It's pretty much just me."

"Well that can be solved," he said. He turned around and said to Derek, "Ask Chloe out. Then both of you won't be single."

I blushed and said, "I'm fine single."

"Well, it's not like you have to declare everlasting love or whatever," Simon said, "Dates can end other ways."

"But unlike you," Derek said, shutting the fridge, "Sex isn't exactly the first thing _I _think about on a first date."

"See, that's why you go on three dates," he said. "And you can line them up one day after the other so that by the third day, you get laid."

Derek stared at him and said, "I fear you."

"What?" he said. He looked at me and said, "Don't you think it's logical? How long do you usually wait until…?"

"Oh…I…um…I haven't really," I said, embarrassed.

"You've never had sex?" he asked. "Well, there you go. Now you _have_ to go out together. Come on, D, how can you keep Chloe from having sex?"

I blushed even harder. Derek slapped his palm against his forehead. I looked down at my hands, which were currently fidgeting with the bottom of my shirt.

"Is that all you think about?" Derek asked.

"Course not," Simon said.

"Enlighten me then," he said.

"I think about my work," Simon said.

"You draw for a living," Derek said, "And half your models are nude."

"If my instructor wants me to draw nude girls, who am I to complain," Simon said, turning to me and winking. And despite my embarrassment, I laughed. This was all so familiar to me. It felt good to see their pointless arguments, especially when they had to do with Simon and his girl "problems".

"Yeah, encouragement," Derek said, "That's exactly what he needs."

Simon walked over to me and put his arm around my shoulder. "See, Chloe understands. Unlike some people who shall remain nameless."

Derek rolled his eyes and asked, "Understands what?"

"That my art is my life," Simon said, overdramatically. I let out a full laugh that time and even Derek's lip twitched.

"Well, art boy," Derek started.

Simon interrupted him and said, "Art man."

"Could have fooled me," Derek said, "Fine. Art _man. _Your bacon is burning."

Simon's eyes widened and he rushed to the stove. It was then I realized that there was a pan on the stove and it was, indeed, smoking quite a lot. I could even smell it. _Yup, burning._ I looked at Derek and he said, "Hungry?"

When I hesitated, he added, "I'm cooking."

I smiled and said, "Yes, please. Do you take orders?"

"That depends on what the order is," he said.

"I will take the pancake platter," I said, sitting down on one of the chairs near the counter.

"That I can do," Derek said as he walked to the pantry.

"Homemade," I added. He nodded before walking in.

"Make that two," Simon said, scraping the burnt bacon into the garbage. He set the pan in the sink and joined me at the counter. "Cooking's not my strong point."

"Then why were you making bacon?" I asked.

"Because somebody wouldn't make it for me," he said, looking pointedly at Derek.

"I'm not your servant," Derek answered.

"You're making me pancakes," Simon argued.

"That is because I offered to make breakfast for Chloe. I'm only making you pancakes because I'm already making them for Chloe," he said. "If you would have asked for something different, I wouldn't have made it."

Derek turned around and started mixing everything together. Simon leaned over and said quietly, "I know the real reason he's making you breakfast."

"What's that?" I asked.

"He likes my idea about the sex," he whispered, a little loudly. I second later, an empty egg carton collided with Simon's head. I looked over to Derek, whose back was turned.

"Was that really necessary?" Simon asked, rubbing his head.

"Yes," Derek said.

"That's what words are for, Derek," Simon said, emotionally. He reached out his arms and said, "You know I'm always here for you. You don't need to strike out at people."

I smiled when Derek flipped Simon off without turning around.

"When is Tori coming?" I asked. At that Simon groaned. "What?"

"I have to see _it_," he said.

"You know, you could just not come," Derek said, finally turning around.

"Why not just tell Tori she can't come," he said, "She hates us anyway."

"Because she's scarier than you," Derek said. "Besides, it's not like you're going to be alone with her."

"Yeah, well she still pisses me off," Simon said, crossing his arms.

"I'm sure you piss her off just as much," I said. Simon smiled and said, "You know, I think you're right. And I'm gonna be as irritating as I can."

"Good luck with that," I said. "So, when _is _she coming?"

"Whenever Queen Victoria feels like it," Simon said.

"Alright," Derek said, "Food's done."

"Finally," Simon said.

"Get the plates," Derek said to Simon.

"Why me?" he asked.

"Because I cooked," Derek said, setting down a plate filled with pancakes.

"Can I get anything?" I asked, wanting to be helpful.

Derek looked at me and said, "There's orange juice in the fridge if you want to get that."

"Okay," I said.

"Simon, get the glasses," Derek said, walking into the pantry.

"Oh, come on," Simon said.

"Do it," Derek said, walking out with the syrup.

"Make me to all the work," Simon mumbled.

"And while you're add it, grab the silverware," Derek added, looking at me and offering a small smile, which I returned with a laugh. I sat back down and poured myself a glass of orange juice. I handed the juice to Derek and waited for Simon to bring the silverware.

We didn't talk much during breakfast. Simon and Derek did joke around a little, but I mostly watched. I also learned that Derek was an amazing cook. I guess being good at cooking was a good trait for a werewolf because they're always eating. Simon did make some more jokes about me and Derek sleeping together and Derek acted frustrated and grumpy, but I could tell that both of them were joking. Well, kind of. I knew Derek was joking, but I had a feeling that Simon was serious about me and Derek sleeping together.

**Okay, so that totally sucked and it was mega short, but it was an update. There is a new poll on my profile that will determine which story I update first. **


	10. We Are Not Sleeping Together

**Okay, so I'm hoping this story will pick back up and get a little more interesting, from my point of view, but for now, I'll update and see what happens. Anyway, thanks to everyone who reviewed my last chapter. I know it was a little late. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**Derek's POV**

While restraining myself from throwing Simon in front of a bus, I walked back to the den to answer the phone, leaving Chloe and Simon to their catching up. I hated to leave Chloe alone with him and his ever-increasing ability to piss people off, but maybe if it was just one of us, he would stop with the sex comments. Probably not, but one can hope.

Making my way to the back of the den, I picked up the phone and said, "Hello?"

"You busy?" Danny asked on the other end.

"Not really," I said.

"Can I come over?" she asked.

"What for?" I asked.

"I thought I'd give you more help with the stuff. Also, I don't want to go to work," she said.

Rolling my eyes, I answered, "Sure."

"Great," she said, "I'll be over in a bit."

"See you then," I said.

Hanging up the phone, I debated whether or not to go back into the kitchen. I knew it was wrong to leave Chloe alone with Simon, but the urge to throw Simon in front a bus was just too great. Shrugging, I walked over to the couch and sat down, pulling the box closer to me. I had about half an hour until Danny got here.

About fifteen minutes after going through the box again, I heard footsteps enter the den and walk back towards me.

"There you are," Simon said, plopping down next to me on the couch. "We were starting to get worried."

I grunted a response. On my other side, I felt the couch dip a little. I didn't even bother looking up. I already knew it was Chloe. My suspicions were confirmed when I heard, "Who was on the phone?"

"Danny," I answered.

I saw Simon straighten out of the corner of my eye.

"What did she want?" Simon asked, trying to sound casual.

"She's gonna come over and help with the case," I explained.

"Oh," he said.

I snuck a peek at him. He looked a little uncomfortable, which really didn't surprise me. Seeing a girl after he had slept with them wasn't really something Simon usually did. It wasn't like he was a player, but long term relationships weren't exactly Simon's thing. And it wasn't like he slept with a different girl every night. He actually made a commitment with them for about a week before he slept with them. After that, they both went their own direction and Simon found someone new.

Chloe had also tensed a little when I said that Danny was coming over and I glanced her way. She avoided my eyes and stared at the box in front of me. _What's with everybody?_ The doorbell ringing brought me out of my thoughts. Standing up, I walked out of the den and towards the front door.

Opening it, I asked, "Why did you ring the bell?"

She pointed to Simon's car and said, "You have company."

"He's not company," I said.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"Simon," I said, closing the door after her.

"Oh," she said. "Now I don't feel so bad about interrupting."

"You felt bad?" I questioned.

"No," she said, walking towards the den. I just rolled my eyes and followed. Upon reaching the couch, I saw that Simon and Chloe were gone. I was seriously starting to question everybody's motives.

"So," Danny said, "Find anything?"

"Yeah," I said, sitting down, "I think I did. I went through these last night with Chloe and we came up with a theory."

"The theory being?" Danny asked.

"We think that Marissa was a supernatural," I said, "Or involved with a supernatural."

"What race?"

"We don't know that," I said, "It's only a theory. Though it does make sense."

"Where _is_ Chloe?" she asked, looking around. "Shouldn't she be here? You said you guys came up with the theory. Shouldn't she be a part of this?"

"I don't know where she is. She was here when I went to answer the door, but was gone when we got here. Simon too."

I thought about it for a second before saying, "I'll go find her."

"I'll be here," Danny said, reaching into the box.

I stood up and left the den. Trying the downstairs first, I came up empty. I did find Simon, though, in the other living room watching TV. I left him to his business and went upstairs. Walking to Tori's room, I knocked and heard, "Come in."

I turned the knob and pushed the door open, seeing Chloe inside staring out the window.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Yeah," she said, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"No reason," I said, "Wanna help with the case?"

"It's your case," she answered, "I'd just be in the way."

"No you wouldn't," I said, stepping into the room and shutting the door. I walked over to her and asked, "Why would you think that?"

"You guys have being working on it a long time," she explained, "I'd probably just be repeating things you've already ruled out."

"Sometimes that helps," I offered. I leaned on the nightstand so that I was closer to her. "You really helped last night. I never would have considered the possibility of supernaturals being involved."

"You would have eventually," she argued.

"Not really," I said. I took a deep breath and said, "I have this line. On one side, I have the supernatural part of my life. On the other is the human part. My job is part of my human side. I never considered that the supernatural part would find me there. So no, I wouldn't have even considered it."

She looked at me and said with a small smile, "You sure you're an actual detective?"

"I said sort of," I corrected her.

"Okay, sort-of detective," she said, smiling, "I'll help. But only because you're so lost without me."

I helped her up and said, "Why is it that every female I meet feels the need to mock my in some way?"

"You're an easy target," she said.

I stopped and asked, "I am?"

Turning around, she said, "Uh huh. You always react to it."

"I didn't realize I was doing it," I said.

"Don't worry," she said, "I'll only make fun of you when you realize I'm doing it."

I rolled my eyes, and followed her out. My eyes wandered to her arm and I said, "We'll have to check the wound again."

"Okay," she said.

"Tonight?" I asked.

"It's a date," she said. Immediately following, she blushed. I wanted to question her response, but I figured I'd just be embarrassing her more. Instead, I kept silent as we made our way to the den. Danny's indication that she knew we were there was an absent-minded wave without turning around.

"Make any breakthroughs in that five minutes?" I asked, plopping down next to her. Chloe chose to sit in the chair next to the table.

"Besides the fact that some of these pictures on the bottom have blood on them, not really," she said. Looking up at me, she said, "You should really clean better."

"I didn't even notice the blood," I said, sifting through to the bottom.

"It's dried, so it's not like it would have been all over your hands," she pointed out, staring at the picture she was holding.

I found one and drew it out. Holding it to my nose, I took a quick sniff to see if I recognized the scent, which I did. It was the man from the closet that smelled oddly familiar.

"I acknowledge the fact that you are weird and to support you, I tease," Danny said, "But do you really have to smell the blood? It's kind of obvious that it is, in fact, blood."

"He's trying to find a scent," Chloe answered for me, "To see if he recognizes it."

"Note to self, werewolves, freaky," she said, half-smiling. I just rolled my eyes.

"Did you?" Chloe asked.

I looked up. "Did I what?"

"Recognize the scent."

"It's the man from the closet," I said, "But that's all."

"When do you actually plan on informing Hanson that you found somebody murdered in the closet of the apartment that you didn't bring back-up?" Danny asked.

It took me a minute to break up what she had said. "I didn't find somebody murdered in the closet. I found the blood of somebody murdered in the closet."

Sighing in annoyance, Danny said, "You know what I mean."

"Not yet," I said, "I want to get farther."

"Does that mean you want to solve the case before even talking to him?" she asked. "I hate to be the buzz kill, but it's both of our hides on the line here. If we don't give Hanson something soon, he's going to kick us off the case."

"We have enough to stay on the case," I answered, "If he gets antsy, we'll give him what we know, but until then, he stays out of the loop."

I saw Chloe shift uncomfortably in her chair. I looked over at her and suddenly felt bad about dragging her down here. Sitting up, I pushed the box over and said, "Grab a handful and see if you can find the man again."

She smiled gratefully and grabbed a handful. Sitting back, she started sifting through her pile. Danny and I did the same. After an hour, we'd successfully found zilch. Simon even came in to see what we were doing, but he didn't stay long. I noticed Danny and him exchanging glances. About fifteen minutes after he left, I turned to Danny and said, "Why don't you go ask Simon if he wants to order a couple pizzas?"

Her head shot up and for the first time, I saw Danny blush. "Sure."

I watched her go and then glanced at Chloe. She met my eyes and smiled and bit her lip, trying to suppress a laugh. I held her gaze, unaware that the clock was ticking away the minutes. Her expression turned serious and neither of us turned away.

The clock chimed, announcing the arrival of six o'clock. We broke eye contact and I blinked. I looked back and saw her blushing. Suddenly realizing that we were still alone, I looked around in confusion.

"Danny's not back yet?"

"Guess not," Chloe said.

I motioned for her to follow and we crept to the living room. I held out my arm, stopping her. Touching a finger to my lips, I motioned for her to stay quiet. Peeking my head around the door frame, I saw why Danny was taking so long. Simon and she were on the couch. More specifically, they were both laying on the couch with Simon leaning over her. Their lips were locked and they had no idea that they were being watched. I pulled my head back and looked at Chloe, who was looking back at me in confusion. I pointed in and she looked. She pulled back and covered her mouth with her hand in order to stop laughing.

"Think we should interrupt the happy couple?" I whispered.

"Well, they have been going at it for a while," she whispered back, "And if we let them continue, you may need to disinfect your couch."

"What are you trying to do?" I asked, "Make me lose my lunch?"

"You didn't eat lunch," she pointed out.

I gave her a look.

"Give me your cell phone," she said, reaching out her hand.

"Why?"

"Just do it.

I reached into my pocket and grabbed it out. She grabbed it from me and started pushing buttons. I didn't ask what she was doing. She finally found what she was looking for and hit call. I gave her a confused look until I heard Simon's phone ringing from inside the living room. He answered.

"Hello?" he asked, obviously not reading the caller id.

"Do you plan on actually making it to the bedroom?" she asked.

There was a scrambling inside as somebody fell on the floor. Chloe and I burst out laughing.

"You suck," Simon said, coming out.

"Hey, don't look at me," I said, holding up my hands, "It was Chloe's idea."

"Traitor," she whispered.

"I'll wait for you when you get out," I said. Her response was to stick out her tongue.

"So, I think I'll be heading home," Danny said, trying to sneak past us.

"You sure?" I asked, "Cause Simon's got brand new pillows in his room that I'd bet he'd love to show you."

She blushed again and I felt a small shove. I looked over at Simon, who was still a few feet away.

"Did you just cast a knockback at me?" I asked.

He just glared back. I took that as I yes and turned back to see Danny was gone. I faintly heard the sound of car starting.

"Did you really have to do that?" Simon asked.

"As much as I want you to have a nice relationship," I said, "I'd prefer if you didn't have sex on my couch."

"You said I was going to?" he asked.

"I have eyes," I said. Changing the subject, I said, "Pizza good?"

"Sure," Simon said, instantly reacting to a new subject.

I looked over a Chloe and said, "I'd make something but pizza's faster and like you said, we didn't eat lunch."

"Pizza's fine," she said.

Nodding, I walked into the kitchen and hit speed dial. I ordered the regular, plus an extra medium pepperoni. It didn't take long for the pizza to arrive or for us to settle around the couch in the living room with the pizza boxes in front of us. Chloe was laughing at the expression on Simon's face as he took a bite of the hot pizza. I even cracked a smile. He grabbed for his diet coke and took a drink. His expression went up a notch as the burning sensation from the coke that wasn't exactly ice cold hit the freshly burnt roof of his mouth. I laughed at that and Chloe laughed even harder. She leaned her head onto my shoulder as she laughed. We were sitting next to each other on the couch while Simon was sitting in one of the armchairs that surround the coffee table. The arrangement was similar to the den, but the chairs were more focused around the table.

"Could you look even stupider?" a voice asked behind us. I sobered up immediately and so did Chloe. Turning around, I saw Tori standing there with her bags at her feet. She was staring her Simon, who gave her the finger.

"You're early," I said.

"Got done early," she explained. She skipped the hellos as she walked around the couch and settled in the other chair. She shed her jacket and reached for a slice of pizza.

"No food on the flight?" I asked.

"I don't eat crap," she said, taking a bite of pizza.

"Don't you notice something?" Simon asked when he finally recovered.

"What?" she asked, looking up.

He gestured to Chloe. "What, Chloe? I'm not blind. Of course I saw her."

"And you don't even say hi?" Simon asked, "It's been a few years."

"I can count, genius," she said.

"Aren't you even a little surprised to see her?" he asked.

"No. I'm just surprised that it took her so long to come back to Derek's bed," she said, totally oblivious to me and Chloe suddenly choking.

Simon burst out laughing and said, "See!"

"Tori!" I said when I finally recovered.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"We're not sleeping together," I growled.

"There is no way you two are not sleeping with each other," she said, taking another bite of her pizza. "For one thing, you two are leaning on each other."

Chloe and I looked at each other and shot apart to separate ends of the couch.

"And for another thing, I saw you guys when I came in," she said, "I'm not stupid."

"We are not sleeping together," I repeated.

"You can lie all you want but I know the truth," she said. "Even if you aren't sleeping together now, you will be."

"And what makes you think that?" I asked.

"Oh please. When Chloe left, you moped for weeks," she said, "Now that she's back, you can't seriously believe that you won't be back to humping her leg in no time."

I full on glared as Chloe's face turned the brightest shade of red imaginable and Simon choked out a laugh. Grabbing a napkin, Tori patted the grease off her lips and got up.

"Now, I'm going to bed," she said. "Simon, grab my bags."

I was surprised when he got up and grabbed them. "Night, bro. Night Chloe."

I looked over at Chloe. She was hiding her face in the crook of her arm.

"Sorry," I mumbled, looking down at the rest of the pizza, suddenly losing my appetite. She didn't respond and I looked over, worried.

"Chloe?" She still didn't respond. I got up and leaned down in front of her. "Chloe?"

I reached out and touched her arm. She looked up and I saw tears. Without thinking, I reached out and gently brushed them away. Chloe closed her eyes and leaned into my hand.

"You okay?" I asked softly.

She opened her eyes and nodded. Biting her lip, she said, "Sorry. I just…"

"It's okay," I said. "I don't blame you. I'd like to say that Tori means well, but I'd be lying."

That got me a little smile and I said, "Maybe we should follow their example and head upstairs for the night."

"I think I'll stay down here," she said.

"Because of Tori?" I asked. "I know she's a bitch, but you shouldn't let her get to you."

"It's not that," she said, biting her lip.

"Then what?" I asked, confused.

She looked away and said, "Tori's here."

"So?" I asked.

"Which means that she's using her room," she said. When I still didn't understand, she went on, "Where I've been staying."

It finally hit me and I said, "Oh. Um…shit. I completely forgot. I'm sorry. Here, I'll take the couch and you can sleep in my room."

"I don't want to kick you out of your own room," she protested.

"It's okay," I said.

She looked like she wanted to say something, but she swallowed the words.

"What?" I asked.

"Well, we're both mature adults," she said, pausing. "We could share your room. As long as we stay on our own side of the bed."

"That would work," I said, standing up. I held out my hand to help her up. She took it and I pulled her up. When we were both on our feet, I dropped her hand and motioned her ahead of me. I followed her up the stairs and into my room. She looked around and back at me.

"My pajamas are in Tori's room," she said.

"You can get them tomorrow," I said. "You can wear my shirt for tonight."

"Without bottoms?" she asked.

Smiling softly, I said, "I won't peek."

She blushed and looked away. I grabbed one of my shirts and handed it to her, pointing to the bathroom. When she shut the door, I stripped down to my boxers and considered pulling on a pair of sweats. Deciding against it, I crawled into bed. Chloe had seen me in them before. After a few minutes, I heard Chloe say, "Are your eyes closed?"

I shut them and said, "Yeah."

"Good," she said, opening the door. I heard her scamper over to the bed and crawling in.

"Decent?" I asked.

"Uh huh," she responded. I opened my eyes and shut off the light. I felt her shifting into a more comfortable position and then sigh when she found one. Lying on my back with one arm under my head, I stayed awake.

"Night Derek," Chloe said softly.

Breathing deeply, I said, "Night Chloe."

**Enter Tori. I know, not as long as it could be, but oh well. **


	11. Am I Pathetic?

**Sorry bout the wait. I hadn't realized that it's been two weeks already. Guess the time flew by. Anyway, I started school on Monday, so updates may be a little slow until I get the hang of my new classes, but on the bright side, I now have complete control over my laptop, so I won't have to limit my time to three in the morning. I still haven't really gotten back into this story yet. My interest has recently been towards my other story. I'm going to try and speed up the plot a little in this one. Also, as you know, I've changed this story to Mature. The reason why will not be in this chapter, though will be slightly mentioned.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**Chloe's POV**

Sighing, I burrowed as close as I could to the warm thing next to me. I didn't know if it was the blankets or something else, but I didn't really care. I was too comfortable. I felt something rise and fall underneath my cheek, but I still wasn't out of sleep mode, so I didn't wake up. I also didn't notice the feel of smooth skin as I shifted and wrapped my arm farther around the moving source of heat. Next to me, I felt something encircling my waist and pulling me closer, to which I didn't complain. I finally registered the something around me as an arm when the hand shifted lower and was now stroking my thigh. I slowly opened my eyes and was met with a broad, and rather naked, chest. Not being fully awake, I groggily moved my head so that I could see the face of the man with the broad chest. I saw that it was Derek, my eyes told me it was Derek, but my brain didn't seem to register it. Instead, I watched his sleeping face for a minute before snuggling in closer and resuming my sleep. The hand moved around the back of my thigh and tugged my legs closer so that I was completely pressed against him and one leg was thrown over his. When he continued with his strokes, I let out a soft moan and smiled.

Just as I was almost completely back asleep, I heard the door open and Tori's shrill voice screeching, "What the hell?"

My eyes snapped open and my head shot up first. Unfortunately, so did Derek's and they collided. Wincing, I held my head in my hands. I felt Derek shift next to me and he said, "What the hell, Tori!"

"What the hell yourself?" she said. "I came in here to tell you that your phone is going off in the kitchen and I see you two practically groping each other. Geez, what did you guys _do_ after we went to bed?"

"We went to bed," Derek growled.

"Obviously," Tori said, "But what did you do when you got there?"

I glanced up to see Tori standing in the doorway, smirking.

"Get out, Tori," Derek said.

"Fine, but at least let me get downstairs before you guys start again. I don't want to hear that," she said, shutting the door. Just before the door closed, I heard Simon ask, "What's going on?"

"Derek and Chloe are having sex," Tori said, her footsteps echoing down the hall. I expected Simon to come rushing in demanding answers, but instead, I heard him rush off after her.

Groaning, I dropped my head back into my hands and drew my leg up, pulling the blanket farther up. I heard Derek let out a little growl before falling back onto the bed. Neither of us said a word. I shifted my leg a little and accidently hit his. He didn't pull his away or even flinch. I peeked at him and saw that he had an arm thrown across his eyes, but he was clearly awake. I suddenly became aware that the blanket had been pulled up and turned. The only part of Derek that was covered was his …. I was assuming that he was wearing something underneath, but from the way the blanket covered him, you couldn't tell. I also became aware that the rest of him was naked. I couldn't help giving him a once-over, which became a twice-over. The man was pure muscle, no flab whatsoever. I started at his feet and went up, noticing how long his legs were and how muscular his thighs were. I could feel my breathing becoming slightly ragged and my heart was now racing. I couldn't see what was under the blanket, so I moved up. I already knew that his chest was muscular from all those times watching him change, but wow. The acne had obviously cleared up and I could barely tear my eyes away. I moved my eyes up and was at his face, which was partially covered by his arm.

Tearing my eyes away, I took a deep breath and tried to slow my heart rate. _What is wrong with me? It's just Derek. I've seen him like this before. This is just like last time, except he's gotten older…and we're in his bed…completely alone._ Shaking my head, I tried to clear my mind of those thoughts. But my thoughts went to what Tori had said last night about us eventually sleeping together and Simon's about me never having sex and that Derek and I should sleep together. They were completely wrong of course, but I was starting to realize how inexperienced I was. I've never had sex. I've never even gotten past first base. _Has Derek?_ I was sure that he had. There's no way a guy who looks like Derek hasn't had sex. I'm surprised that women weren't throwing themselves at him, though the clerk at the mall was very _helpful. _And going back to Simon's comment, why would he even _want _to sleep with me. I'm not exactly the type of girl that guys chase after.

I set my hand down on the bed to keep myself steady. After a few minutes, I felt Derek softly stroke my hand with his fingers. I turned my head to look at him while keeping my cheek leaning against my knee.

"You okay?" he asked, his voice soft and low, as if he was just waking up. "I feel like I'm repeating myself."

I smiled a little and said, "I'm okay…or I will be."

"You want me to make Tori leave?" he asked.

"No, she's just being herself," I said.

He nodded. I watched him for a little while. His eyes drifted from my face and I saw him glance down. I looked down at what he was looking at and was embarrassed to see that his shirt had ridden up and he had a direct view of my panties. I would have fixed the shirt, but I watched his face instead. Most guys would have taken the opportunity to cop a feel or at least acknowledge the fact that they could see it. Derek did neither. His face held the same blank expression as I watched his eyes slowly travel down my leg, or what was visible. His eyes came back up and he closed them.

"Am I pathetic?" I asked out of nowhere.

His eyes snapped open and he looked up to meet mine. "What are you talking about?"

"I was thinking about what Tori and Simon said," I said. Derek started to open his mouth, but I cut him off, "Is it pathetic that I'm nineteen and I've never had sex?"

"Well, I'm twenty," he said. "And neither have I."

"You haven't?" I asked, shocked. "Why not? I would've thought that a guy who looks like you would have."

"What do you mean a guy who looks like me? What do I look like?" he asked, confused.

My eyes widened and I stuttered out an answer. "I didn't mean…I wasn't implying…well, you know how look."

"No, I don't," he said.

"You're hot, okay?" I said, hiding my face in the blanket.

"I'm hot?" he said, sounding amused.

"Don't make me answer that," I muttered.

"Why would you think you're pathetic for not having sex?" he asked, going back to the original subject. "You're only nineteen. And don't say because everybody else is doing it."

"Well they are," I said, looking at him. "You heard Simon yesterday. He was surprised that I haven't had sex."

"Well, that's Simon," he answered. "He's surprised kindergarteners aren't having sex."

"Maybe he has a point," I said.

"About kindergarteners?" he asked.

"No!" I said, frustrated. "About me. I haven't even gotten past first base!"

"Why are you suddenly so concerned about your sex life?" Derek asked.

"I'm not," I muttered, turning my head away. He was quiet for a few minutes before he spoke. His voice was soft as he said, "Do you _want_ to have sex?"

I didn't look at him when I said, "Eventually."

"Eventually when?" he asked, his voice just as soft as before.

I shrugged. I heard him sigh and then he said, "If you want, I could…you know."

I turned back to look at him. "You would do that?"

"It's not exactly like you're asking me to perform brain surgery," he said.

"I know, but…"

"Look," he said, sitting up, "Let's make a deal. If you haven't slept with anyone by the time I solve my case, we can sleep together. Deal?"

I didn't answer him. Instead, I shot at him and wrapped my arms around his neck. His hands shot up and he grabbed my hips to steady me, but I didn't let go. I buried my face into the crook of his neck and said, "Deal."

He didn't push me off him. He cleared his throat. I pulled my head back at looked at him. When I gave him a questioning look, he looked down briefly and I followed his eyes. It was then that I remembered that he was only wearing his shorts and his shirt on me still hadn't been fixed and had in fact ridden up more when I pounced on him. I was sure my face resembled a very ripe tomato.

"Oh," I said simply.

"We should probably get downstairs," Derek said. I nodded and was about to lift myself off when I felt Derek's hands move from my hips down. His hands settled on my butt as he lifted me off. In the process, I was momentarily pressed into him and my breathing hitched. He paused for a second and set me down on the bed. I watched him get out of bed. I knew that I should follow him and get dressed, but my body wouldn't move. He glanced at me and his eyes lingered on the empty spot next to me. He shook his head and pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

"I'll go get your clothes," he said, leaving the room. Now alone, I suddenly realized what I had done. I had agreed to sleep with Derek. _Did he _want _to sleep with me or was he doing it out of pity?_

"That was hot," a voice said next to me.

I shrieked and jumped, falling out of bed. I peeked over the top to see a ghost I hadn't seen for years. She had somehow gotten older, but it was the same ghost.

"Liz!" I said. "A little warning!"

"Sorry," she said, smiling. "But wow. Has he always looked like that? If I were you, I wouldn't wait for his case to be over. I'd jump him when he got back in the room."

"Liz!" I said, both surprised and amused.

"What? I can't do him. Do him for me," she said.

"I am not going to sleep with him just because you say so," I said.

"Well, you're going to sleep with him eventually, so why not now?" she asked.

"Because," I said. I couldn't come up with a better answer than that, so I left it at that.

Derek came in then and took one look at me on the floor and said, "Is the bed really that uncomfortable?"

"I didn't choose to fall on the floor," I said, standing up. "There was a-"

"A ghost, I know," he said. "I heard you shriek."

"And you didn't come and see what was wrong?" I asked.

"After knowing you for months, I know the difference between your 'ghost' shriek and your 'there's a mouse' shriek."

"That was one time," I argued. "And that thing was huge."

"And," he said, ignoring my comment, "Because you're having an actual conversation with the ghost, that tells me who it is. Hi Liz."

"Hi," she said, cheerfully. I translated.

I walked towards him to take the clothes he held in his hand. Once I had them in my hands, I was about to take a step back when his arms went around my waist. I could barely breathe as I looked up at his face. He kept his eyes focused on mine as I felt him tugging lightly at my, or his, shirt. I unconsciously look a step closer and my hands rose to his chest, where I gripped him shirt to hold myself up. He found the hem and I felt his fingers brush against my skin. He never took his eyes off mine. He pulled the shirt back down like it was supposed to be and he let go of the shirt. I was a little disappointed until I felt his hands lightly running up my skin. I closed my eyes and gripped his shirt harder, afraid that my legs would give way. I felt his hands slowly getting higher up my back. He stopped when he hit the bottom of my bra, but his thumbs stroked the skin right underneath it. I couldn't breathe. _All this from a little touching?_ I opened my eyes a little and saw that he was still watching me. His hands slowly went back down and traveled to my hips again.

"Derek," I softly moaned. I felt him lean down. I could feel his breath against my neck as he murmured, "Get dressed. I'll meet you downstairs."

He let go of my hips and stepped back. Turning around, he left the room. Lightheaded, I reached down to grab the clothes I hadn't realized I had dropped. _What was that?_ I looked over and discovered that Liz was gone. I quickly changed into a clean set of clothes and make my way downstairs. My first instinct was to go to the kitchen. The voices inside proved me right and I went in, prepared to deal with the mocking. Instead, Simon and Tori were arguing about whether to have sausage or bacon. Derek was standing at the stove with his back turned. When he turned around, he saw me and nodded. I gave me a questioning look directed towards the arguing siblings and he rolled his eyes. I walked over and stopped at the stove, watching him cook.

I spoke quietly. "I expected to get an earful."

"You would have," he responded just as quietly, "But I told Simon that if he said anything, I would tell Tori that he got drunk and made out with a guy at party."

"You'd lie?" I asked.

He gave me a sideways look and I covered my mouth to stop the laughter.

"What did you tell Tori?" I asked.

"I told her that if she talked, I would tell Dad that she and her boyfriend from her junior year had sex in his bed."

"Why did she have sex in his bed?" I asked.

"I didn't ask," he answered.

"How much blackmail do you have?" I asked.

"You have no idea," he said.

I laughed quietly and glanced back at Simon and Tori, who were still arguing about which one to have.

"I'll look at your arm later," Derek said, drawing me out of my thoughts.

"Okay," I said. "So, what are your plans today?"

"I was planning on working on the case," he said.

"Shocker," I said, smiling.

"Well, the sooner I solve the case…"

I looked up and saw a small smile tugging at his lips when he saw me blushing.

"Arrogant man," I muttered and he chuckled.

"Are you almost done?" Tori asked. "Some of us are hungry."

"Well, you could always cook your own breakfast," Derek pointed out.

"Yeah, right," she said.

I looked in the pan and saw that he had gone with bacon. In the pan next to it, he was cooking eggs. Without being asked, I went to the cupboard and started setting the table. I also got out the orange juice and set it on the table. Derek came up behind me and reached around me to put the plate of bacon on the table. When the eggs were done, we sat down and ate.

…,,,…

An hour later, I was curled up on the couch helping Derek again with his case. This time, however, Simon and Tori decided to help. Simon was sitting on the floor next to the table while Tori had taken the chair. Every once in a while, Tori would hit the pile of pictures that Simon was looking at with a knockback spell and send them flying, only to get yelled at by Simon and glared at by Derek.

I sighed and set the pictures I was looking at down on the table: nothing. Derek glanced over at me and grabbed me a new pile. I silently thanked him and started my new search. After another half hour, Simon broke the silence.

"What's with Peter?"

We all looked up at him and shared confused looks. Derek asked, "Peter who?"

"You know, Peter. That kid from Lyle. He was obsessed with video games," Simon said.

Derek and I looked at each other and I knew he was thinking exactly what I was thinking. _That's why he looked so familiar._ Derek reached out and grabbed the picture from Simon. I leaned in and looked. It was a different one than the one before. In this one, Peter was sitting at a table staring at a bunch of papers. He definitely didn't know that he was having his picture taken. I studied his face a little and was surprised I hadn't seen the similarities before.

"That's definitely Peter," Derek said. "How did I miss that?"

"We both missed it," I said.

"Yeah, but you only knew him for a week. I knew him for a month," he argued.

"How old was he when we were in Lyle?" Simon asked.

"Seventeen," Derek said after thinking for a minute.

"So that would make him, what, twenty one?" Simon asked.

"Yeah," Derek said. "Which would make him eighteen in this picture."

"How do you figure?" Simon asked.

"Well, he has to be the father. And based on the picture we found earlier, Maddi was born three years ago, which would make him twenty one," Derek explained.

Simon and Tori exchanged a look and at the same time said, "Huh?"

Derek sighed in frustration and began to explain everything we knew, with me jumping in once in a while to help. Tori seemed to catch on quickly, but Simon took a second round before he understood.

"Let me get this straight. We're helping you solve a case about a dead woman and her daughter, who doesn't exist?" Tori said.

"She does exist. She just doesn't legally exist," Derek said.

"Then why are we even looking for her?" Tori asked.

"Because it could lead to Marissa's killer," Derek said.

I sat back and listened to their arguing. After a while, I was sucked into my own thoughts. I still needed to talk to Derek about my dad. I _did_ travel to the other side of the country to get his help. I closed my eyes and thought back to that night. I never should have gone out. He wasn't supposed to get home until Friday, but he said he was going to call. If I had stayed to answer it, I would have known that he had come home early and he wouldn't have been alone with his killer. And I didn't even get a good look at the killer. The only thing I know is that their shoes squeaked, they like black, and they smell like…

I sat up and gasped. Everybody turned and looked at me.

"You okay?" Derek asked.

"Burnt hair," I said, earning confused looks in return. "The person who killed my dad. When I hit them with the door, I could smell them. They smelled like ash and burnt hair."

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?" Tori asked.

"The people, Zachary and Marissa, they were burned from the inside out," I said, getting excited. "What if Marissa, or Peter, isn't the only supernatural? What if the killer is too?"

"A half-demon," Derek said. "Most likely an Exustio."

"Can we take a look at those pictures from the crime scene and of the body?" Simon asked.

"Yeah, but don't get them mixed up with the others," Derek said, getting up and grabbing some files. He set them in front of us and opened them. We started going through them and I had to turn my head at a few. There was one that caught my eye and I picked it up. It was a picture of Marissa's head. Like the rest of her body, it was burned, but there was a bare spot on her forehead and it looked like there was some sort of pattern on it. Almost like writing.

"Did anybody notice this?" I asked. Derek leaned over and said, "Yeah, but nobody could figure it out."

"Do you have a copy?" I asked.

"That _is _the copy. Why?" he asked.

"Can I write on this?" I asked.

"Sure," he said. "Do you need a pen?"

"A permanent marker, if you have one," I said.

He nodded and got up. I waited for him to come back and he handed me the marker before sitting down next to me and watching me. Taking off the cap, I picked up the picture and started tracing over the marks. When I was finished, I leaned back and looked at my work. As successful as I was, I wasn't happy with the result. I silently handed it over to Derek and watched his face.

"Rae," he said quietly.

"Rae?" Simon asked. "How do you know that?"

"She signed her name," Derek said, handing him the picture. And he was right. Carved from fire, Rae's name was etched into Marissa's forehead.

"Why?" Simon asked.

"Because she's sick," Tori said.

"It's a message," Derek said. "She's working with a cabal. She has to be. Probably the St. Clouds."

"Great. Them again," Simon said.

"Well, she _would_ smell like ash and burnt hair," Tori said.

"Rae killed my dad," I said, more to myself.

"We'll catch her," Derek said to me. "I promise."

I nodded and looked down at my folded hands.

"Why would she kill him?" Tori asked. "I mean, what does he have to do with the St. Clouds?"

"Me," I said. "She was trying to kill me."

"Chloe-"

"No," I said, interrupting Derek. "He wasn't supposed to be home until Friday. She thought she was going to kill me, but she found him instead."

"Then why wasn't he burned?" Simon asked.

"Because she was in a hurry," Derek said. "She didn't know when Chloe was going to show up, so she had to make it quick. She shot him instead and fled the room when she heard Chloe come home, am I right?"

I nodded. "I heard a noise coming from his study and then I found him there."

"What's the link between Chloe and your victims?" Tori asked.

"They're Supernaturals," Derek said.

"So the St. Clouds are going after random Supernaturals?"Simon asked.

"Not random," Derek said. "They are killing off their test subjects. And probably anybody connected to them."

"They're fixing their mistake," Simon said.

"That's why Marissa was killed. Because she was with Peter," Derek said.

"And why Peter wasn't living with Marissa and Maddi," I said. "He didn't want them to get hurt."

"Then what's the deal with the other guy?" Simon asked.

"He must be linked to someone," Tori said.

"I don't think we should be concentrating on him just yet," Derek said. "We need to concentrate on those who are linked to us."

"I'll call Dad," Simon said. "And Danny."

"As much as I hate to," Tori said, "I'll call my sister."

"Well, Simon takes care of both of us," Derek said. He turned to me and said, "You might want to call your aunt."

"I'll do it later," I said. "I don't really want to talk to her now."

"Well," Simon said, "I'm going to make a few phone calls and them I'm gonna head to bed."

"Now?" Derek said. "It's only…oh. I hadn't realized that it had gotten so late."

"Time flies huh?" Simon said, getting up and heading out of the room. Tori got up after him and left.

"We should probably take a look at your arm," Derek said. I nodded and grabbed his hand when he offered it. He pulled me up and I followed him upstairs. We went into his room and into his bathroom. He instructed me to hop onto the counter. I watched him getting out new bandages and thought back to this morning. I was attracted to him. That much was obvious. _Was he attracted to me? _I mean, he had to be right? What happened this morning meant something, right? And, what guy would agree to sleep with you if he wasn't attracted to you?

"Sleeve up," he said. I rolled it up and he gently peeled away the old bandage. "It doesn't look infected."

I looked down and saw that he was right. He cleaned and disinfected the area before putting on the new bandage.

"Okay," he said. "That should do it."

"Thanks," I said.

"No problem," he said.

"No," I said. "For everything."

He looked at me and we locked eyes. He took a few steps closer until he was in between my legs and I had to look up. He reached up and pushed a piece of hair behind my ear.

"You're welcome," he said, starting to back up.

I lightly grabbed the front of his shirt, hoping it would stop him from going anywhere. He seemed to take the hint and remained still. He eventually broke eye contact and his eyes traveled over my face. They settled just under my eye, where the scar from the girl in alley was. I closed my eyes as his hand came up and lightly traced the scar. His hand moved the side of my face and I momentarily felt his breath on my lips before he gently pressed his to mine. I reached up and cupped his cheek, kissing him back softly. I felt his arm wrap around me and hold me against him.

The kisses weren't demanding, but they left me breathless when we finally broke apart. I leaned my head against his chest and breathed in. His free arm wrapped around my waist and joined his other while he rested his head atop mine. Neither of us said anything. It was at least ten minutes before the silence was broken.

"Bed?" he asked.

"Gladly," I answered. He backed up and I slid off the counter. We walked out and I looked down at my stuff that he had brought in from Tori's room.

"Can I use your shirt again?" I asked.

"Help yourself," he said.

I nodded and grabbed one. I started to walk into the bathroom and stopped. I turned around and saw Derek crawling into bed. Biting my lip, I said, "Close your eyes."

He closed them and I swapped my shirt for his and discarded my pants.

"Okay," I said. He opened his eyes and I watched his eyes travel down and back up.

"You coming to bed?" he asked.

I smiled and walked over to the bed. Once I was settled, Derek reached over and turned off the lamp, enveloping the room into darkness. I heard Derek shift slightly and then stop. I reached over with my foot and nudged his. He nudged me back and I smiled, pulling myself over until I was lying next to him.

"Did you really mope?" I asked.

"Huh?" he asked.

"When I left. Did you really mope?" I asked.

He groaned and said, "I may have expressed some feelings that resembled moping."

"You moped over me?"

"I missed you, okay?"

"I missed you, too," I whispered. His arm came around and pulled me against him. I wrapped my arm around him as tight as I could. "Why did you miss me?"

"Are you going to keep asking questions?"

"Last one, I promise."

He sighed and said, "Because I missed talking to you. It's not the same talking to Simon. With him, everything will turn out fine and I'm the big hero. With you…I can vent. With you…I'm a normal guy who makes mistakes and doesn't have to make all the decisions."

"When Aunt Lauren tossed your number, I locked myself in my room for a week. I wanted to call you so badly. Liz had left and Dad was in China, and I had nobody to talk to."

"Tell you what, you can talk to me all you want…in the morning," he said.

I laughed and said, "I'm looking forward to it."

He softly kissed my forehead and said, "Night Chloe."

"Night."

**Okay, I'm starting to think that I rushed that I little **_**too **_**much. Oh well. **


	12. Cruel and Unusual Punishment

**Sorry for the wait. I'm really lazy and that's pretty much it. Anyway, this story is definitely not going to be as long as my other one, so there isn't much left of this one. I'm not sure how many chapters are left, but there aren't that many. Also this chapter will be short. **

**So I have a challenge for everybody. Somewhere in this chapter, I have included lines from something else, be it a movie, TV show, a book, etc. If you can find the part and say where it is from, you will get a preview of the next chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**Derek's POV**

Yawning, I stretched my arms as much as I could without waking the sleeping necromancer next to me. Said necromancer was currently pressed up against me with her arm tight across my chest and her leg thrown over mine. Her head was resting on my chest and I could feel her light breaths against my bare skin. Looking down at her sleeping face, I gently moved the strand of hair that was blocking my view. I took a deep breath and crossed my arms behind my head, staring up at the ceiling. Part of me was impatient to finally finish my case so I could tear off the t-shirt that was between me and her. Another part of me couldn't care less if the world outside was blown into a million pieces as long as I could stay in this bed with Chloe just sleeping next to me.

I small moan interrupted my thoughts and I looked down to see Chloe's eyelashes flutter open. She just stared at nothing for a moment before breathing deeply and looking up at me.

"Morning," she said sleepily. She pulled herself closer, if that was even possible, and pushed her head into the crook of my neck before stilling. I felt her press a small kiss against my skin and I smiled.

"Morning," I replied. I brought one arm down and wrapped it around her waist. When my hand met bare skin, I glanced down and saw that the t-shirt, like yesterday, had ridden up. I lightly ran my hand up her side, drawing the shirt up farther.

"You're getting ideas," Chloe murmured into my neck.

"I'm just thinking," I said.

"Clean thoughts?" she asked. I could feel her lips turn up in a smile.

"Some of them," I answered, returning the smile.

"And the ones that aren't?" she asked.

"They're a poor substitute," I said.

"Substitute for what?" she asked, looking up. When she saw me smiling, she pulled herself up and planted a light kiss on my lips before moving away and sitting up. Smiling, she said, "Solve the case first."

"You make me sleep with a practically naked woman pressed against me all night and now you're making me wait?" I asked. "That's cruel and unusual punishment."

"Patience is a virtue," she said, sliding out of bed. I watched her walk over to her pile of clothes.

"That's a stupid idea made up by a bunch of monks who weren't getting any," I said, pulling my arm back under my head.

She turned around and asked, "Seriously?"

"Probably not," I said. "But might as well have been."

"Are you planning on getting out of bed?" she asked.

"Well, I wasn't, but I can hear Simon in the kitchen and I'm a little worried about my stove," I answered, sitting up and rubbing my hands over my face.

Laughing, she walked into the bathroom and shut the door.

"I'm going to take a shower," she called from inside. When I didn't answer right away, I heard the lock click and I rolled my eyes, "Fine."

I heard the shower turn on and I finally out of bed. The hardwood, which was always cold, was no exception this morning and as crazy as it sounds, I enjoyed it. I always get overheated wrapped in all those blankets and the cold floor on my feet is refreshing. I walked over to my closet and grabbed out clean clothes. I pulled on jeans and a t-shirt and left my room, heading downstairs. Upon entering the kitchen, I discovered that my previous assumption was correct. Simon was indeed in the kitchen and my stove was indeed being used.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Making myself breakfast," he said. He craned his neck and looked over his shoulder. "Want an omelet?"

"No, I don't want salmonella, thanks," I said. I missed the look he gave me as I walked into the pantry and looked around for breakfast.

I heard Tori walk into the kitchen and she asked, "What the hell is that smell?"

"Simon is killing himself," I said.

"I'm making an omelet," he argued.

"Dress it up as much as you want," Tori said. "It's still salmonella."

"Two against one," I said, walking out.

"Where's Chloe?" Simon asked.

"Shower," I said. I leaned against the wall and crossed my arms in front of me.

"Didn't join her?" Simon asked, throwing a grin over his shoulder.

"Sex is not the first thing I think about when I wake up," I said, pushing myself up and walking over to the fridge. "And she locked the door."

"Excuse me?" Tori said. "Care to explain?"

"Not really," I said. I grabbed out the egg carton and opened it. Deciding there were enough eggs, I set them on the counter and grabbed out the milk.

"Hold on," Simon said, setting down his spatula. "Are you implying that you would have joined her?"

"Spill, wolfy," Tori said.

"About what?" I asked.

"Are you sleeping with her?" Tori asked.

"No," I answered. "Not yet anyway."

"But you're planning on sleeping with her?" Simon asked.

"Yes, I am," I said, turning around. "Happy?"

"What the hell are you waiting for?" Simon asked, grinning. "You're sharing a bed for God's sake."

"I'm waiting until my case is over," I said.

"Why?" Tori asked.

I sighed in annoyance and pinched the bridge of my nose. "We made a deal."

"What kind of deal?" Simon asked.

"A deal in which when my case is over, we'll sleep together," I said.

"Geez, what kind of pillow talk do you two have?" Simon asked, turning and grabbing his spatula.

"The kind that if you mention this conversation to Chloe, you'll wake up upside down dangling over a bonfire," I said.

I saw Simon swallow and pale. "Got it."

"Good," I said.

"What's for breakfast?" Chloe asked, walking into the kitchen, her hands busy pulling her wet hair into a pony.

"Well, Simon's having salmonella," Tori said.

Chloe stopped in her tracks and looked over at me, confused.

"He's making himself an omelet," I explained. "I'm making French toast."

"Sounds good," she said. She pulled a chair out next to Tori and sat down. "Need any help?"

"I'm good," I said.

"Maybe we should talk about your case more," Simon suggested, hiding a smile.

"You know," Tori said. "That's a good idea."

Chloe looked a little confused, but she didn't question their sudden want to solve the case. She glanced at both of them before settling her gaze on me.

"Fine," I said, suppressing a growl of annoyance. "We know who did it, so we'll start with Rae."

"Start how?" Chloe asked.

"Start with finding her," I answered. "We know that she's working with a cabal and based on the relationship between Marissa and Peter, it's most likely the St. Clouds. I suggest going to the source."

"Whoa," Simon said. "You want to go to the St. Cloud headquarters?"

"Yes," I said.

"Are you crazy?" he asked. "That's suicide!"

"Not if we can get in and out without being spotted. Which might require gagging you," I said.

"We? What do you mean 'we'? Oh no. I am _not_ going into the St. Cloud headquarters," he said, holding up his hands.

"You're that much of a chicken?" Tori asked.

"I don't want to get blown up," he said, glaring at her.

"No one said you're going to get blown up," Tori said. "You might simply get maimed."

"Shut up!" I said. All eyes turned to me and I said, "I don't care if you go or if you stay here and sit on your asses. Either way, I'm going. I am going to find Rae and possibly maim_ her_. I am going to find Maddi and make sure she is safe. And more importantly, I'm going to find Lionel St. Cloud and I am going to make him bleed. Any more arguments?"

"I'm good," Simon said.

"I'm coming with," Chloe said, speaking up. I nodded and turned back to making French toast. Simon's omelet was beyond help as he scraped yet another ruined attempt at breakfast into the trash.

"I'm coming, too," Tori said. "I really want to see Rae begging for her life."

"She doesn't strike me as the begging kind," Simon said.

"Oh, I'll give her something to beg over," Tori said.

"Well, since everybody is abandoning me, I guess I'll come, too," Simon said.

"Welcome to the club," Chloe said.

"Can I be president?" Simon asked.

"I'm president," I said.

"You can be janitor," Tori said.

"What are you, the garbage I'm cleaning up?" Simon asked. Tori's fingers flicked up and the pile of mail that was neatly sitting on the counter suddenly collided with Simon's face. He yelped and stepped back, slipping on a piece of mail and hitting the floor. He sat there, dazed.

"Simon, clean it up," I said. He looked up and glared. He got on his knees and started picking up the mail. Chloe slid off her chair on helped him pick it up.

"So, when do we infiltrate the cabal?" Tori asked.

"As soon as possible," I said. "I was thinking we'd leave today."

"Seriously?" Tori asked. "That's a little _too_ soon, don't you think?"

"Seeing how the headquarters are in Chicago and we'll be driving, I think today is good," I said. "We'll plan on the way."

"I call shotgun," Simon said, standing up.

"There is no way you get to sit up front while I'm stuck in back," Tori argued.

"That's easily solved," I said. "Chloe gets passenger seat."

"Oh, but if somebody else wants it…"

"Which they both do and if we don't want Simon being stuffed in the trunk, you'd better take it," I said.

"Okay," she said.

I finished the French toast and set it on the table. We dug in and were finished by ten o'clock. I quickly washed the dishes and we starting getting ready. We decided to leave at noon so that we could get as much distance between here and Chicago covered as we could. It didn't take long to pack the normal stuff: clothes, toiletries, etc. Chloe and I shared a suitcase because she didn't really have much anyway. I did pack an extra bag with other supplies: first aid supplies, supernatural charms and supplies, plus the information about the case.

We left a little after noon. After stopping to pick up Danny, we were on the road to Chicago. There were three sets of sets, so Tori claimed the middle seat and stretched out, which forced Danny and Simon to sit in the far back. I was completely fine with that. If they spontaneously started making out, I wanted to be as far away from it as I could.

After an hour of driving in silence, Chloe reached over to fiddle with the radio. Each station she turned to was objected to. Eventually, I threatened to list the numbers of pi if they didn't shut up and pick one. Their argument didn't last long and Chloe happily got her choice. After ten minutes, I looked over at her. She was staring out the window silently mouthing the words to the song.

"How's your arm?" I asked.

She looked over and said, "It doesn't hurt anymore."

"Good," I said. "We'll check it tonight."

"Okay," she said.

"What happened to your arm?" Simon asked.

We all turned to look at him. Well, I just looked in my rearview mirror.

"What?" he asked.

"Do you listen to anything?" Tori asked.

"Course," he said. "Just not that."

Danny saved us from another retelling by explaining it to him herself. He had to be told twice, but he got it. By ten o'clock, we were all feeling the long drive. Simon and Danny were snoring away. Tori was leaning against the window with her ear buds in her ears and her eyes shut, obviously asleep. Chloe was fighting sleep.

"Sleep," I said.

"But then you'll be awake alone," she said.

"I'll live," I said, smiling over at her.

"Just for five minutes," she said, closing her eyes.

She was instantly asleep and I was left awake alone. I drove for another hour or so and then pulled into the first hotel I could find. I parked the car and went inside, getting three rooms. When I got back to the car, I shook Simon and Danny awake and gave them their key. Tori was next. Not as fun to wake up, she eventually woke up and accepted her key. I looked over at Chloe and wondered whether or not to wake her. Deciding against it, I gently eased the door open and carefully lifted her in my arms. When she started to wake up I said, "Shh, Baby, go back to sleep."

"Where are we?" she murmured.

"Just outside of Erie, Pennsylvania," I explained.

"M'kay," she murmured, falling back asleep.

I quietly shut the door and carried her into the building. We were on the third floor, so I took the elevator. I didn't want to jostle her up the stairs. When I got to our room, Simon was waiting outside the door, knowing my hands would be full. He slipped the key in and it clicked, signaling that the door was unlocked. He opened the door for me and I walked in. The room was small and there was only one bed, but that was all I needed. I turned around to see Simon set my suitcase inside before shutting the door and heading into his own room. I gently laid Chloe onto the bed and looked down at her. I needed to look at her arm but I didn't want to wake her. As gently as I could, I peeled the bandage back and looked down. It looked good and I decided to take the bandage off completely. Then came the tricky part. Trying to get Chloe's clothes off her and my shirt on to her. She only started to wake once when I was getting my shirt over her head, but she quickly fell back asleep. The pants were the easy part. Simply unzip and pull.

I slid out of my jeans and t-shirt and crawled into the bed with her. When she felt my presence, she turned and I wrapped her in my arms. I didn't go to sleep right away. I spent a half hour or so watching her sleeping face. _Please let this case be over soon._

**Yup, short. I just wanted to give you guys something and I needed to get them from Albany on their way to the real action. They should be in Chicago in the next chapter. **


	13. Too Easy

**Chronic laziness is a serious condition, I swear. Sorry bout the wait. I kinda forgot to write. However, I think this chapter should make up for it. Anyway, there isn't much left to this story. I'm hoping to have it done by chapter 18 (**_**not**_** saying there's going to be 5 more chapters.) When it's done, I will add a nonchapter which will give info about my story ideas for after and you guys can choose one you'd rather read. **

**The answer to the challenge was from Buffy the Vampire Slayer (I'm obsessed):**

_"Welcome to the club," Chloe said._

_"Can I be president?" Simon asked._

_"I'm president," I said._

_"You can be janitor," Tori said._

**This was a conversation between Buffy and Dawn in the fifth season.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

Glancing over at the clock, I sighed. 3:43 A.M. I turned over onto my back and stared up at the ceiling. After waking up two hours ago, I couldn't fall back asleep. Looking over at the man sleeping next to me, I watched the blankets rise and fall with every steady breath. His head was turned away from me, directly in line with the door, as if he subconsciously was watching for danger. _He _was having no trouble sleeping. I closed my eyes and listened to the rain pelt the window.

The honk of a horn and the squeal of brakes from outside burst through my sleep and my eyes shot open. Looking around the dark room, I saw no signs of danger. I looked over at the clock. 4:05 A.M. Sitting up, I brought my hands up to my face and rubbed before bringing them back down to my lap. I considered turning on the small TV, but I didn't want to wake Derek. Instead, I slowly drew the blankets off my lap and got out of the bed. I carefully walked over to the bathroom and made sure the door was shut before turning on the light. For a cheap hotel, the bathroom was surprisingly clean. The walls could definitely do with new wallpaper, preferably one from this century, and the small tub could use an upgrade, but for the price, I couldn't complain.

I looked in the mirror and frowned at what I saw. The dark circles which had finally disappeared were coming back. What little makeup I had been wearing had smudged while I got that hour of sleep. I turned on the water and started to turn it to warm before cranking it all the way to the right. Nothing like cold water in the face to close that gap between awake and asleep. I held my hands underneath the faucet and collected a handful of the cold water. When it hit my face, I jerked and breathed in, any sign of sleep gone. I quickly scrubbed at the makeup as best as I could and shut off the water. Grabbing the towel, I dried my face and look another look in the mirror. Better, but not great. Taking a deep breath, I shut off the light and walked back into the main room. Instead of going back to bed, I walked over to the window and pulled over a chair. Sitting down, pulled the curtains aside. The headlights of the cars came and went as they sped past. The dim lights of the hotel were no match for the dark clouds and heavy rain and when the last of the cars went by, the world was plunged in darkness. It didn't last long. The next line of cars made their way past the hotel and the cycle went on.

Leaning back, I let the curtains fall shut and I turned my head towards the bed, where I should be. I should be lying in the arms of an overprotective werewolf with the only thing to worry about being overheating. Instead, I was sitting on the other side of the room because of a little insomnia. Pulling myself up, I walked over to the bed and sat down.

"Derek?" I said. Getting no reaction, I repeated myself. "Derek?"

He mumbled something unintelligible and turned his head before resuming his sleep. Sighing in frustration I pushed him arm and said, "Derek!"

He shot up and looked around. When he saw that there was no threat, he looked at me in annoyance.

"Chloe, it's 4:30 in the morning," he said, rubbing his hands over his face. "What is so important?"

"I can't sleep," I said.

He looked at me like I was crazy and said, "Why didn't you just turn on the TV?"

"I didn't want to risk waking you," I explained.

"So you made sure you woke me instead?" he asked. Shaking him head, he laid back down and turned onto his side, pulling he blankets back up. I pulled them down to his feet and he looked over his shoulder.

"What do you want me to do about it?" he asked.

"Talk to me," I said. "Or something."

"I'm already up, why not just turn on the TV?" he asked.

"There's never any good channels," I argued.

He groaned and turned onto his back. He patted the spot next to him and said, "Come here."

I laid down next to him and curled into him. He wrapped him arm around me and I snuggled in.

"What did you want to talk about?" he asked, stifling a yawn.

"I don't know," I said.

He rolled his eyes. "What do you plan on doing after this is over?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, are you planning on going back to California?" he asked.

"I still have college," I said. "But I guess the semester is over by now. And I don't really want to go back to the house. Maybe I can get an apartment or something."

"_Or_," he said. "You can stay with me."

"You'd let me stay?" I asked, looking up at his face.

He looked like he wanted to slap his forehead, but he resisted. "If you _want _to get an apartment and pay a ridiculous amount of money per month, I won't stop you. _However,_ if you'd like a stay somewhere with a more reasonable price, I have room."

"You'd make me pay?" I asked, sitting up.

"I wasn't talking about money," he said with that sly grin.

I returned that grin. Pulling away, I said, "I don't know. I can probably find somewhere _completely_ free if I really wanted. Of course, there would most likely be benefits that I'd be obligated to-"

I was cut off by a growling werewolf flipping over and pinning me down. He had my wrists held over my head with one hand while he hovered over me. "Apartment or my place?"

"Those are my only options?" I asked, looking at his lips.

"Yes," he said.

I bit my lip. "Well, the apartment _does_ sound a little appealing."

I pulled one hand free and ran my fingertips lightly up his bare chest. His soft growls and closed eyes were a sign that he didn't completely mind what I was doing. "_However,_ your place does have its own kind of benefits that I find almost impossible to turn down."

I raised my head to his neck and my lips found his pulse. I lightly ran my tongue across the surface while my hand traveled back down his chest. When my hand found the top of his boxers, his growled sharply and wound his free arm around my waist, pulling my chest flush with his. His mouth found mine and before I could think, his tongue was taking charge. I moaned and freed my other arm, wining both around his neck and pressing myself into his harder. He groaned and ground himself against me. Gasping, I threw my head back against the pillow and his mouth claimed my neck. I couldn't think as he nipped at my skin, sending shocks through me. I arched up and grabbed at his shoulders, holding him down. He pressed himself against me firmly and I could feel every inch of him. I let go of his shoulders and reached down, grabbing the top of his boxers. Just as I was about to pull down, there was a knock on the door. He buried his face in my neck to suppress his growl, but I could feel the vibrations and a shudder went through me.

"If that's Simon…" he growled.

"Shh," I whispered in his ear. "Maybe he'll think we're asleep."

There was another knock and we looked over at the door. It was the third knock that caused Derek to sit up, his face completely serious. I sat up with him and looked from the door to him.

"What is it?" I whispered.

"Get dressed," he said.

I didn't question him. Sliding out of bed, I silently donned my jeans. Tugging off his shirt, I set it on the bed and grabbed my own. He grabbed his own jeans and tugged them on before walking over to the window and pulling the curtains aside. He looked back to the door before opening the window and jimmying the screen out. I watched as he grabbed our suitcase and dropped it over the edge. He didn't say anything as he grabbed out his phone and typed something out before hitting send. Shoving his phone back into his pocket, he held out his hand towards me. I silently walked over to him and looked down. There was a small fire escape complete with a ladder, but it didn't go all the way down. The window in the room next to us opened and Simon's head popped out. He nodded at us and dropped his and Danny's bags down beside ours. Tori did the same with hers in the room on our other side. Derek helped me over side and I climbed down the ladder. When I reached the end, I jumped down and landed on my feet. Derek followed after me and the others did the same on theirs. We quickly found the car and were on the highway before anyone spoke.

"What was that?" Simon asked.

I turned towards Derek, but his eyes were focused on the road. "Derek?"

"They know," he said.

"Who knows what?" Danny asked.

"The St. Clouds know we're on to them," Derek explained. "They were outside our door."

"How do you know it was the St. Clouds?" I asked. "They didn't say anything."

"Exactly," he said. "They just knocked. If it was one of us, we would have said something. If it was the desk clerk, he would have used the phone."

"So what do we do now?" Simon asked. "They know we're coming."

"We're not turning back," Derek said. "If Maddi is alive, she's there."

"But it's gotta be like ten times more dangerous now," Tori argued.

"So we'll we be ten times more careful," Derek said. "Can you get internet here?"

"Yeah. Why?" Tori asked.

"I need you to hack into the St. Cloud's mainframe and see if you can find any building plans. Anything that will help us get in and out with minimal damage."

"I'll see what I can do," she said, grabbing her laptop out of her case.

"What can we do?" Simon asked, gesturing to Danny and himself.

"The case information is in the brown bag behind you. See if you can find anything we missed," Derek instructed.

"And me?" I asked.

"Just…be here," he said, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye. We sat in silence for ten minutes before he said to me, "This better not take long."

"Why?" I asked, looking over.

"Because I fully intend to have you back in bed, minus a few unnecessary articles of clothing," he said, "And I'm not a patient man."

I bit my lip and looked out my window. I was starting to wonder what would happen if we were interrupted again. I wouldn't want to be their place.

…,,,…

"That's it?" Simon asked. "It looks like an abandoned factory or something."

"That's above ground," Tori said. "Under ground is full of tunnels."

"Everybody know that plan?" Derek asked.

"I forgot," Simon said.

Derek slapped him upside the head and said, "I'm going to go through this one more time. We go in through service entrance. There's not much security there. Then we'll follow the north tunnels. The unmarked rooms on the blueprints are there. That has to be where they're keeping Maddi."

"What if we run into anybody?" Simon asked.

"If there's just one, we'll take him out," Derek said.

"As in?" Simon asked.

"Knock him out," Derek said. "Unless it's Rae. Kill her."

"Gladly," Tori said.

"And the third part to your plan?" Simon asked.

"If there's time," Derek said. "Alright, move."

We moved under a blur spell provided by Simon and Tori, though mostly Tori. It took longer, but we weren't taking any chances. When we reached the door, Derek listened for anybody on the other side and then he broke the lock when he confirmed it was clear. The halls were strangely empty. We remained completely silent as we moved through the halls, not wanting to alert anyone of our presence. When we reached a dead end, we started to turn around when Derek stopped us. His ear was against the wall and then he looked over. I followed his eyes and spotted an air vent on the wall.

"We're going in there," Derek said.

"Why?" Simon asked. "It's an air vent."

"Then where's the air?" Derek asked, yanking the cover off. I ducked in, which wasn't very far with me being so short. Derek was the last one in. He pulled the cover back on and motioned for us to continue. The vent went on a ways before we got to a door. Derek moved to the front of the line and listened. He twisted the knob and the lock snapped. He slowly opened the door to reveal when appeared to be some kind of dungeon, for lack of a better word. Cells lined the walls and continued around the corner.

"Do you think she's in one of these?" Danny asked.

"I'm counting on it," Derek answered.

We checked as we went. They weren't the cleanest cells. Most smelled of old pee and some even had blood caked on the walls. When we turned the last corner, I heard a small cough and I looked to Derek. He nodded and we rushed to the end. In the last cell, huddled in the corner, was a tiny girl, about three years old. Her brown locks were caked with dirt and her clothes were filthy. She had cuts and bruises down her arms and legs. Her face was hidden in the crook of her arm. Tori gasped and the girl lifted her head. When she saw us, pure fear crossed over her face and she tried to get farther away.

"Shh, it's okay," I said soothingly, leaning down. She focused on me. "Is your name Maddi?"

She nodded slowly and brushed away tears with her dirty sleeve.

"Hi Maddi," I said softly, "My name is Chloe. I'm here take you somewhere safe. Would you like that?"

She nodded. I smiled and turned to Derek. "Do you think you can bend the bars?"

"Maybe," he said.

I turned back to Maddi and said, "This is Derek. He's going to help, okay?"

"Okay," she said quietly.

He stepped forward and tested the bars before taking a firm grasp and pulling. The bars creaked and started to move. When there was enough room for Maddi to get out, I held out my arms and she slowly eased herself forward. When she was out, I gathered her in my arms and picked her up. Her arms wound around my neck and she held on tightly.

"I don't like this," Derek said.

"What do you mean?" Tori asked.

"Here's the bait. Where's the-"

"This was almost too easy," I familiar voice said from behind us.

**I know I told some of you Saturday, but I'm only 4 hours late, so that's not too bad. **


	14. Mr St Cloud

**And I am back. Sorry for the wait. I had a hard time writing the chapter for my other story so that's why it took so long. Anyway, I am back and ready for a new chapter. And it's like three in the morning and I just finished The Calling so I'm way too hyped to sleep for like 12 hours.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**Derek's POV**

Turning around, I prepared myself for whatever was coming. Standing at the end of the cells by the door was a face I hadn't seen in years and frankly, I could have gone a few more. Besides the obvious age difference, Rae looked exactly the same as she did the night that we escaped Lyle House: the same flawless copper skin, the same dark hair. The only think different between now and then was that now she actually was special, or at least she was in her mind. She finally belonged somewhere. Granted, she couldn't have picked better, but in her mind, she must feel special.

"Well, we could have made it easier but you didn't exactly leave behind that many clues," Simon retorted, the usual light tone replaced with bitterness.

"I guess I overestimated your intelligence," she said, looking at me briefly before leaning against the wall and turning her attention to her nails. Without looking up, she continued, "I left you the ultimate clue and it took the little blond to figure it out."

I saw Chloe tense at Rae's comment out of the corner of my eye. She hugged Maddi tighter to her and pulled a straight face.

"Wow, Rachelle, giving bitch a whole new definition, are you?" Tori asked.

"You would know, wouldn't you _Victoria_?" Rae said, looking up.

I saw Tori start an energy ball, but I held my hand back, motioning for her to wait. Rae smirked at that and pushed herself off the wall.

"No," she said. "Come on, Victoria, give me your best shot."

"Don't," I murmured. "Don't let her taunt you. She's just baiting you to get a reaction."

"Always the smart one, weren't you Derek?" Rae asked, mocking. "Just not smart enough."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Simon asked, clenching his fists.

"Still a little slow on the uptake, huh Simon?" she said. "Let me put this so that _you_ can understand. You're cornered. No way out. And even if by some miracle you get past _me_, the door is locked. And there's no way I'm handing over the key. And outside that door, at the end of the vent, there are guards waiting to take you to Mr. St. Cloud so that he can decide what to do with you."

"_Mr. _St. Cloud?" I asked. I took a step forward and said, "If you're such a hotshot here, why is he still _Mr. _St. Cloud? What's wrong with Lionel? Or boss?"

I saw her cheek twitch as she clenched her jaw and I continued, "Or are you not as important as you _think _you are?"

"I'm his right hand!" she said. Her fists clenched and I could see a little smoke start to form around them.

"Then why are _you_ the one getting your hands dirty? Why are _you_ the one doing his dirty work?" I asked, taking another step forward. She was too pissed off to notice that I was slowly getting closer.

"Because I want to!" she argued. More smoke was forming and her fists were starting to glow red. "He's letting me kill all of you any way I want to."

"He's _letting _you?" I asked. I was really close now. "If you were really his right hand, would he be _letting_ you?"

She was fuming now, literally. She took a punch and I ducked, grabbing her by the shirt and tossing her at the door. When she reached out to stop herself from hitting the door, her hands were still blazing and the door was reduced to ashes. She hit the ground and gasped. Before she could get back up, I charged and grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back and then grabbed her other hand, doing to same. Making sure to be quick, I reached into my pocket and my hand brushed against metal. I pulled out the handcuffs I had stashed in there earlier and locked then on her wrists. I knew she would break out of them eventually, so I shoved her in one of the empty cells and locked it to slow her down. She lurched up and hit the bars. Screaming her fury, she sent fire out of her fingertips, but it went backwards and hit the wall behind her.

"Everybody out," I said.

"But the guards…" Simon said.

"We'll deal with them," I said. "I'll go through first. Tori, you come in behind me. You're in charge of those on the left, I'll take those on the right. And no holding back."

"What about us?" Simon asked.

"Danny, you follow behind Tori, but stay in the vent until the coast is clear. Chloe comes next with Maddi and Simon takes the rear. Keep your positions."

I turned and walked through the ashes into the vent, going as slow and quiet as I could. I could hear Tori behind me. In each of her hands was an energy ball. When we got to the final corner, I stopped and made sure Tori was ready. She nodded and I turned my head around to corner to see that the door of the vent was off, but there was nobody standing in front of the door. Knowing they were waiting on either side of the door, I walked quietly down the vent before stopping just before I hit their line of vision. Tori stopped right next to me and we exchanged a look before she took a deep breath and charged. Two guards burst in front of the door from each side and Tori threw the energy balls, hitting each one square in the chest and sending them falling back into their fellow guards. I moved past Tori and grabbed one of the incoming guards by the front of his shirt and lifted him. Instead of throwing him, I swung him in a half circle, using him to knock into a group of guards before letting him go, sending him flying on another guard.

Between Tori and me, it took about five minutes to take them all down. I motioned for Danny to lead them out. Once I knew everybody was okay, I started down the hall, listening for any sounds that didn't come from us. We reached the halfway point to the outside when another group of guards came out of nowhere and attacked. Simon and Danny got in front of Chloe to stop anyone from taking Maddi. I turned to see a group of six frozen in place before Tori sent a knockback and they all flew into a wall. When more showed up, I lightly shoved Tori towards the opposite direction, telling her to go. She did, with the rest behind her. I took the rear and stopped anybody from getting close enough. I wasn't sure where we were going, but at the moment, it only mattered that we were getting away from the men armed with their unknown powers. We passed an empty hall and I skidded to a stop and yelled to the others to follow me. The end of this hall looked a little more used than the one we were previously in and I knew we were getting closer to the heart of the building, a place I didn't want to be.

When I saw a lone person in a business suit cross in front of the end of the hall, I ran a little faster and charged at her. Before she could turn her head to see what was coming at her, I closed my hand over her mouth. When she didn't use her hands to shoot me with fire or something supernatural, I knew she wasn't one. The only other explanation was a witch, but Cabal's didn't hire witches. I tugged her over to a nearby closet and shoved her in before shutting the door. Hearing the lock click, I continued on with the others behind me. We only met two more people down the hall, which we easily took care of.

We branched off into another hallway and I bowled over someone as I turned the corner. We both tumbled over with an 'oomph.' When I looked up, I bolted up and grabbed the man's hands and pinned him facedown to the floor before he knew what was happening. When he realized someone was holding him down, he struggled and I heard him start a spell. Before he could get the last word out, I stuffed the bandana from my pocket into his mouth. I was going to use it for the inevitable wound, but this worked much better. I heard a muffled curse before he stopped struggling and went limp.

"Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise," Tori said, crossing her arms and smirking. "Lionel St. Cloud bound and gagged and at our mercy."

"Where are his bodyguards?" Simon asked.

"Probably close behind," Chloe said.

"No," I said. "His bodyguard is handcuffed in a cell."

"He has to have more than one," Simon insisted.

"A powerful man like Lionel St. Cloud?" I said in a mocking tone. "He doesn't need a bodyguard. He can take of himself all by himself."

"Probably figured he only needed the one," Tori said, "Otherwise the rest would be here by now."

"Now the question becomes," Simon said. "What do we do with him?"

"Well," I said. I lifted his head and smashed it against the floor, getting from him a muffled scream and a broken, bloodied nose. "I made him bleed, now I'm happy."

"We can't just leave him here," Danny said. "Somebody will eventually come and figure out that we were here."

"I think they already know we're here," Simon said.

"I meant _here,_" Danny said. "At this exact spot. For all they know, we're back down in the containment area."

"Oh," Simon said.

"She's got a point," I said. "We want to stay as hidden as we can."

"So, what? We take him with us?" Simon asked.

"We could use him as a human shield," Tori suggested.

"Well, Derek smashed him face into a concrete floor. I think he already filled the gruesome quota for the day," Chloe said.

"We'll take him with us until we find somewhere to stash him," I said. I grabbed the back of his suit jacket and pulled him onto his feet. With his hands still bound and the bandana in his mouth, he wasn't going anywhere I didn't want him to. I kept a firm grip on his shirt and shoved him forward. He glared back at me and started walking. When he slowed down, I shoved him again and he seemed to get the message. The halls where surprisingly empty as we walked on. Eventually we found a door and I listened to make sure nobody was inside. When I decided it was empty, I twisted the knob and broke the lock. It was some kind of meeting room. The lights were off and we kept them that way. I pushed him down into one of the chairs and learned forward so that I was face to face with him. I grabbed the bandana and pulled it out.

"I'm going to ask you a question and you have one chance to get it right before I start breaking fingers. Where's the exit?" I asked.

"I'm not telling you, you filthy mutt," he spat out.

I stuffed the bandana in his mouth and reached down. I grabbed his index finger and looked him in the eye. He gave me an 'I dare you' look so I snapped his finger. His eyes rolled back in his head at the pain and the bandana muffled his scream. When he was finally done screaming, I tugged the bandana back out and leaned down again.

"That was your first warning," I said. "Now, I'm going to ask you again. And this time, I suggest you answer me. If I find you're lying, I'm going to come back here and ask you again. But that time, I won't be breaking fingers. No, I'll just snap your neck. And before you go thinking that it will be quick, I can assure you it won't. When I snap your neck, I'll break your spinal cord and then you won't be able to breathe…won't be able to scream as you suffocate. Now, where is the exit?"

The room had gone completely quiet as I waited for him to answer me. He glared at me before grounding out, "Take the hall all the way down until you get to a door. Go through it and go left. The exit is at that end."

"Good. Now, remember our little deal. If I find you're lying…" I stood up straight and looked down at him. "And once you've finally died, consider this. Just because you're dead doesn't mean you're unreachable. See, when you changed the genes of a necromancer, you created one of the most powerful necromancers in existence. And all she has to do is put you back in your body and never take you back out. You'll be stuck there as you slowly rot."

I stuffed the bandana back in his mouth and finally turned around to see everyone staring at me. Simon was the first the break the silence.

"Dude," he said. "You're scary. But that was awesome."

I rolled by eyes and motioned them out. Before I just the door, I turned around and said, "Oh, and if you ever get the urge to come after any of us or anybody else related to the experiment in any way, I'll be back. And it won't be pretty."

I shut the door and we walked on. Simon was grinning at me and Danny was looking at me admirably. Chloe was avoiding my gaze and Tori was busy focusing on where we were going. I ignored them and concentrated on listening for anyone coming. We found the door, just like he said and we went through. As we walked, I noticed the lack of use of the hallway and staring wondering if maybe he was lying, which wasn't all that surprising. However, a little farther down, I saw the door we came in. We were almost to it when I blast of fire shot past my head and sizzled some of my hair. I jerked and found a very pissed off Rae standing behind us.

"I'm not letting you walk out that door," she said. She ignited her hand and charged forward. She pushed past everybody and headed for me. I was prepared to duck when she jerked and her eyes widened. She dropped and I saw the back of her shirt was sizzled like it got hit by…my eyes lifted and I saw a satisfied smirk on Tori's face.

"Now _I'm _happy," she said, stepping over Rae's body and past me to the door, where she opened it and walked out. I looked at Simon and I knew we were thinking the same thing. _No more pissing off Tori._

The others followed her and we went out. We went with another blur spell to walk across the open area and then we dropped it when we made it to the car. I was sure that Maddi probably should have had a car seat, but with the circumstances being what they were, we went without. We all piled in and set off toward home. Simon and Danny were talking about our victory in the far back and Tori was piling coats and the like around Maddi so that she had something to lean against as she fell asleep. Chloe still wasn't looking at me and I was getting a little worried. _Is she afraid of me? Does she think I'm going to hurt her?_

…,,,…

We decided to drive straight through to New York. We didn't want any unwanted visitors outside of hotel rooms. Simon and I took turns driving. He was currently in to back dozing before his next shift and I was the only one awake. I glanced at the clock at saw that it was 4:36 in the morning. I looked around for somewhere to stop quick and maybe get something strong and caffeinated when I heard Chloe waking up. She looked up through sleepy eyes and surveyed out surroundings.

"Where are we?" she asked, her voice thick with sleep.

"I have no idea," I said. "I stopped looking at the town names, just the road numbers."

"Mmm," she murmured as her answer and leaned her head back against the window.

"Want to talk?" I asked, looking over at her.

"Sure," she said, still half asleep.

I hesitated. I needed to get this out right. "Back there, when I threatened St. Cloud, you know what I said only applied to him, right? You know I would never hurt you."

She sat straight up and said, "Of course I know you would never hurt me."

"It's just…you were really quiet and I thought…" I drifted and fixed my eyes on the road.

"I wasn't thinking of that," she said, looking down at her hands. "I was just thinking of something else you said."

"About you and putting him back in his body? I was just trying to scare him," I said, hoping she understood.

"I know," she said. "It wasn't that. It was what you called me."

"What did I call you?" I asked, utterly confused.

"One of the most powerful necromancers in existence," she quoted me.

"You are," I argued.

"I just…I guess I was a little flattered," she said.

"You are the most powerful person I've ever met," I said. "Just don't tell Tori I said that."

"Absolute power corrupts absolutely," she quoted the saying.

"That's what you have me for," I answered her. "If you start going power mad, I'll lock you in the basement."

"Thanks," she said sarcastically.

"You hungry?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Actually, I really have to pee," she said.

"We can stop for that, too," I said. "I need a coffee."

"Maybe Simon should drive," she suggested.

"I'm okay," I said. "I just need something in my stomach and a little caffeine."

"Is there anything open this early?" she asked.

"Just look for a gas station," I said. "I should probably fill up, too."

"Well, in that case, take the next exit," she said, pointing out a sign.

I followed her advice and, sure enough, found a gas station. While I filled up, Chloe went inside to take care of her business and to find something to eat. I gently shook everyone awake and asked what they wanted and warned them of the only bathroom break for a while. Simon got out, but Danny and Tori only gave their orders and fell back asleep. I looked down at Maddi and decided to let her sleep. I had no idea if she was toilet trained or not, but it was probably best that I didn't bring her inside. If she had to go, I'd find somewhere with a bathroom out back. I left her in the car with the girls and followed Simon inside. Chloe was browsing through their food choices when we found her. I saw her holding two coffees in her hands and she handed me one when she saw me. Simon wandered off to get his own coffee and one for Tori. I made sure to grab a coke for Danny, but I didn't know what to get for Maddi, so I grabbed a milk and a lemonade. Whatever she didn't drink, someone would. Their food choice wasn't vast, but it was decent enough and after going a little overboard on the food, we went out to the car and piled back in. Tori didn't say anything as we got settled. She just held her hand out and Simon set the coffee in it. I handed her back a breakfast sandwich and she dug in.

Once we were on the road again, Maddi finally woke up and Chloe asked her which beverage she wanted. She went with the milk and Chloe reached back and helped her get it ready. I watched Chloe interact with Maddi and I instantly knew that Chloe would someday be a great mom. I had no idea if I would be the father of her children, but if I was, I just hoped it was a few years down the line.

…,,,…

We finally arrived home around noon. I watched as Simon and Tori shoved each other aside as they raced to the house, each one with bladders about to explode. Chloe, Danny, and I laughed at them as we gathered our stuff and carried it in. Chloe carried in Maddi and I told her to go start filling the tub. Maddi really needed a bath.

"Well, partner," Danny said. "Case closed."

"Now we just have to figure out what we're going to tell Hanson," I said.

She groaned and said, "Let's leave that for tomorrow. Right now I just want a hot bath and a foot massage."

"You might be able to convince Simon of that," I said. "Just leave the sex for the bathroom. I don't want to have to sanitize the bathtub."

She rolled her eyes and walked off. I took a deep breath and looked around before settling on the stairs. I grabbed our bag and went up. I could hear Chloe in the master bathroom when I walked into the room. The tub was still running. Walking over, I opened the door and saw Chloe sitting next to the tub with her hand in the water. Maddi was sitting the counter with her legs drawn up to her chest. She looked a little wary of me but she seemed to accept me well enough.

"I grabbed one of your shirts for her to wear," Chloe said, looking up. "It will probably fit her like an oversized dress."

"That's fine," I said.

Chloe stopped the water and stood up. I helped her undress Maddi and we worked together to scrub away the dirt and grime, and believe me, there was plenty of it. When we were done, I grabbed her out in a big towel and she stood there holding the towel around her while her hair dripped down onto the floor. Chloe dried her hair with a towel while I dried her down until she was no longer dripping. When she started to shiver, I reached over and grabbed my shirt. She held up her arms while I pulled it over her head and down over her. Chloe was right when she said it would fit like an oversized dress. When I stood up, she reached up with her arms and I leaned down and scooped her up. She was tiny. She had definitely been malnourished. Chloe noticed it too, because she frowned. We left the bedroom and went downstairs to the living room. Tori was sitting on the couch flipping through the channels when we walked in.

"You want me to go out and get her something to wear?" she asked. "She at least needs underwear."

I grabbed out my wallet and handed her a fifty, which she grabbed and left.

"Hungry?" I asked Maddi.

She nodded and we went to the kitchen. She refused to let go out me, so Chloe got out some supplies and made us eat a grilled cheese. It took Tori a few hours to finish shopping, but she eventually arrived with more stuff than necessary.

"She doesn't need all this," I said, looking down at all the bags.

"Variety," she said. "Now let's see what she likes."

By the time we decided what she did and didn't like, it was late and she was falling asleep against my shoulder. Tori handed me a pair of pajamas and I carried her upstairs. Chloe helped me get her dressed and I tucked her into bed. I had cleaned out one of extra rooms. It had taken awhile, which was why I didn't do it when Chloe got here. I looked up at Chloe and watched her facial expression and she watched Maddi sleep.

"Come on," I said, softly.

She nodded and followed me out. I gently shut the door and gestured for the bedroom. When we got in, I noticed she was a little nervous. She turned to me I walked over, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her against me. I kissed her forehead and said, "Not tonight."

"But…"

"You're tired. I'm tired. We both need a good night's rest in a bed," I said.

She wrapped her arms around me and leaned her head against my chest. We stood like that for a while before I scooped her up in my arms and carried her to the bed. She sleepily undressed and I handed her a shirt, which she pulled on and then pulled the covers up over her. I joined her in bed and pulled her against me. She fell asleep quickly and it wasn't long before I followed her.

**One more chapter. **


	15. Not A Patient Man

**Okay, I am really sorry for the wait. There are a lot of high expectations for this chapter and I didn't want to disappoint. I'm hoping to make this main scene as good as I can, but all my knowledge of that is based off movies and romance novels, so we'll see where it goes. Also, I apologize for the shortness.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**Derek's POV (I know it's supposed to be in Chloe's but her POV wouldn't work for this chapter)**

"Have a story ready yet?" Danny asked behind me.

I looked up from the case file and saw her walk into the kitchen and directly for the coffee pot. "I think so. It's not very good, but it might get us out of explaining too much."

"Let's hope so, because I don't want to get institutionalized for sounding nuts," she said. She pulled out a chair and sat down. "Let's hear it."

"I'd rather wait until we're at work," I said. "I don't want to repeat myself."

"But what if I get asked a question?" she asked.

"Then say something and refer to me," I said.

"Alright," she said. "What time does he expect us?"

"Noon," I said. I looked over at the clock and read 10:36. "I better go wake up Maddi. She's going to have to come with."

"Where's Chloe?"

"Asleep," I said. "I didn't want to wake her."

She nodded and I walked out. Based on the time, I was assuming that both Simon and Tori were still asleep. I didn't bother checking, though and went directly to Maddi's room. I carefully opened the door and looked in. She was curled in a ball with her arms wrapped as far around the pillow as she could manage. I walked over and knelt down so that I was face to face with her.

"Maddi?" I said gently. "Maddi."

She moaned softly and peeked one blue eye open and looked at me.

"It's time to wake up," I said softly. "We have to go somewhere soon and you should eat breakfast."

"Okay," she said. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. She still looked a little disoriented when she looked around the room. I grabbed her something to wear and helped her dress before picking her up and carrying her downstairs. Danny was still sitting at the table. She had pulled the case file over and was looking it over. She pushed a chair out with her foot and I set Maddi down.

"What would you like for breakfast?" I asked.

She looked around and back at me. "I don't know."

Looking down at her, I realized that she probably hadn't had many choices for breakfast, even when she was living with Marissa.

"How about pancakes?" I asked.

"What are pancakes?" she asked.

"They're good, I promise," I said.

"Okay," she said.

I nodded and set to work. I kept looking out of the corner of my eye to make sure she was okay. I almost burnt the first pancake before giving my cooking my complete attention. When I was done, I set the plate on the table and grabbed four more plates. I set one in front of Maddi and Danny and one an empty spot. The other I set on a tray. Serving Maddi a pancake and pouring syrup on it, I watched her try a bite and smiled when she took another. Danny helped herself and I waited to fill mine. I poured a glass of orange juice and put it on the tray. Chloe may not be awake now, but as soon as she smelled the pancakes, she would be.

Opening the bedroom door, I looked in to see her sprawled over the bed. I shook my head and walked over. She didn't open her eyes when I walked up next to the bed, but she did when I cut off a piece of pancake and held it over her nose with a fork. She opened her eyes sleepily and smiled up at me. She then noticed the pancake and her smile grew.

"Breakfast in bed?" she smiled. "What's the occasion?"

"The occasion is you're too lazy to get up earlier and come down to the kitchen and eat," I said.

I lifted the fork to my mouth and ate the chunk of pancake. "Hey! That was my pancake."

"You have more," I said.

She sat up and stretched her arms over her head. "So, what do you have planned today?"

"I have to go to work and explain to my boss how we solved the case and found Maddi without telling him how," I said.

"And you're going to manage that how?" she asked.

"I'm working on it. I've got a story, but I don't know if he'll buy it," I said.

"Good luck with that," she said. She reached over and grabbed the tray and pulled it over her.

"Thanks for the support," I said sarcastically. I leaned down and she lifted her head for a quick kiss.

"We'll be leaving around 11:30," I informed her as I walked to the door. "If you want to say goodbye to Maddi, I'd do it then."

"Why?" she asked.

"She can't stay here," I said, turning around. "She's not a dog. I can't just put posters up and then keep her when no one claims her."

"But, what about until somebody claims her?" she asked. "Can't she stay here until then?"

"It'll make saying goodbye that much harder," I said.

She sighed and nodded. I left the room and closed the door behind me. I could hear both Tori and Simon snoring in their rooms and rolled my eyes. I was tempted to wake them, but I had all summer to piss them off. Danny was still in the kitchen when I walked in, but she was back to reading the case file. Maddi was trying to reach for another pancake, but her arm wasn't long enough. I pushed the plate closer and allowed her to grab one. Filling up my own plate, I set to work and was done eating in ten minutes. Danny looked up from the file and said,

"You ready to go yet?"

"Almost," I said. I picked up the dirty dishes and placed them in the sink. "I think Chloe wanted to say goodbye."

She nodded and stuffed the file into her bag before getting up and walking toward the door. I quickly ran up and got Chloe and brought her downstairs. I waited by the door for her for five minutes. She appeared around the corner with Maddi and helped her into a jacket. I nodded to Danny, who grabbed Maddi's hand and led her outside to the car. Before she shut the door, she said,

"Oh, and I told you so."

I rolled my eyes and turned to Chloe. "I don't know how long this will take, but I'll call when I'm done."

"Okay," she said.

I walked out and pulled the collar of my jacket closer as the rain pelted down around me. I rushed to the car and got in to minimize my chances of getting soaked. Turning it on, I pulled into the driveway and turned onto the main road. Nobody said anything as I drove. Danny was busy memorizing the case file in case she was asked anything that she couldn't refer to me. Maddi stared out the window the entire time.

A half hour later, I pulled into my normal parking spot and shut off the engine. The rain was still coming down strong, so I carried Maddi inside. She buried her head in my neck when we got in and everybody stared at us when he walked past. I could hear whispers, but I ignored them and headed directly for Hanson's office. Danny knocked and we heard out cue. When we opened the door, Hanson turned around and froze.

"What is that?" he asked.

"She's a little girl," Danny said.

"What is she doing in my office?" he asked.

"If you'll let us explain, we'll get to that," I said. I sat down in one of the chairs and was going to set Maddi down in her own, but she refused to let go of my neck. I motioned for Danny to give Hanson the rather edited file. I had to fix a few things to work with my story.

"Alright," he said. He picked up the file and leaned back. "Start talking."  
"We solved the case," Danny said.

"And who was behind the murders?"

"It seems that there was in fact a connection to the victims," I said. I looked sideways at Danny. "If you look in the file, I have a photo copied member list to a local AA group. The group is very secretive about its members and it was difficult to obtain the information until a paper from one of the crime scenes revealed a written date and time and an address. It turned out to be the address to the meeting."

"They were drunks?" Hanson asked.

"Yes sir," I said. "Recovering drunks at least."

"How did nobody find this paper until now?"

"This case hasn't exactly been a popular one," Danny said. "Not many employees were willing to sacrifice their own time and cases to work on ours."

He nodded and motioned for us to continue.

"If you read down on the list, you'll see a woman by the name of Rachelle Rogers. She was a fellow member of their group and, after some digging, I discovered she had a connection to both of the victims prior to their death," I explained. "Ms. Rogers was sent a group home approximately four years ago and was diagnosed as a pyromaniac. Two of the other teenagers in the home were Peter Ricci and Brady Hirsch. One of the victims, Zachary Singe, was a…close friend to Brady before he was sent to the home."

"They were romantically involved?"

"Yes Sir," I said. "And Ms. Noyes was involved with Peter. This is Maddi. She is the daughter of Marissa Noyes and Peter Ricci."

Hanson looked down at Maddi and asked, "How did we not know Ms. Noyes had a daughter?"

"She was very secretive," I said. "Apparently nobody beyond the father and a few hospital staff knew of her existence. If we can get back to the case, apparently Ms. Rogers was very resentful over the fact that her stay in the home was prolonged by an incident between her and the two boys. Disciplinary action had to be taken and she was required to stay longer, while the boys finished their time and left. Once she was returned to society, she acted on her resentment and tracked down the boys. Mr. Hirsch was already dead when Ms. Rogers located him and was forced to punish the only connection she could find. Her punishment resulted in the death of her victim and she later carved into the chest of her victim and lit a match."

"How was this not found earlier?"

"The examination of the body was not as thorough as it should have been," Danny said. "Our main medical professionals were not available at the time.

"And Ms. Noyes?"

"After killing Ms. Singe, Ms. Rogers tracked down Mr. Ricci and found Ms. Noyes. She killed her and stole her daughter as revenge," I said. "If you read the report, I think you'll find information on a third body found just north of where Ms. Noyes was found. You'll find that the body belongs to Peter Ricci. He, however, died of a gunshot to the chest. He was killed in the previous residence of Ms. Noyes and stored in a closet until he was later collected and burned. It's all in my report."

"Very good. I'll go through this at a later time," he said. "Now, about the child. Does she have family?"

"No Sir," I said.

"I suppose we'll have to call social services and see what we can do about foster care," he said, scratching at his chin.

I hesitated and said, "If it's possible, I thought she may feel more comfortable with me until proper care can be arranged. It would help with the transition."

"It saves me one call, so might as well," he said. "I'll make a few calls after lunch and see what I can do about finding her somewhere to live. Until then, you're welcome to take her with you and provide care."

"Thank you, Sir," I said, standing up.

"And both of you, take some time off," he said. "You've been on this case for months."

"Thanks," Danny said, walking out.

I followed her out and sighed in relief. She turned around and grinned.

"How did you come up with that?" she asked. "AA? Group home?"

"I couldn't sleep last night," I said. "I slipped out of bed and watch some documentary and the trials of becoming sober. The group is real. I just paid off the man in charge. The group home is real, too. She was actually sent their and with the same condition."

"How do you know that?"

"I was at the group home," I answered.

"What were you diagnosed with?" she asked.

"Antisocial personality disorder," I said, curling back my lip in disgust.

She burst out laughing and said, "I can totally see it."

I glared at her and looked down at the little girl in my arms to discover that Maddi was fast asleep.

"I guess you're staying for a while," I said, even though she couldn't hear me. To Danny, I said, "Come on, I want to get home and start my vacation."

"We all know _how_ you want to start your vacation," she said, smirking.

"Which is why you and Simon are going on a date tonight and you're staying at your place afterwards. I'm paying for it, so don't complain."

"What's the deal?"she asked.

"I want you out of the house," I said.

"What about Tori and Maddi?" she asked.

"I have an idea," I said.

…,,,…

I shut off the car and got out. Collecting Maddi, I walked over to the door and opened it. I could hear voices in the living room, so I headed that way. When I walked in, Simon was laying across the couch while Chloe sat at his feet. Tori was sitting in the chair and they were all focused in the TV screen. I looked over and rolled my eyes at the game show what was on.

"Is that how you've spent the time I was gone?" I asked.

They all jumped at looked at me.

"Geez, bro, don't do that," Simon said, holding his chest.

"Why is Maddi here?" Chloe asked, getting up.

"I persuaded Hanson to let me watch her until arrangements could be made," I said. "You're welcome."

She smiled and said, "Thank you."

She grabbed Maddi and walked out.

I checked my watch and saw that it was already 5:00. To Simon, I said, "You are going on a date tonight with Danny. You're staying at her place when you're done."

"Why?" he asked.

"He obviously wants the house empty for tonight," Tori said.

"And no complaining," I said, not responding to Tori's comment. "I'm paying."

"Alright then," he said, getting up. I handed him the money and he left.

To Tori, I said, "And you are going shopping. I don't know how long Maddi is going to be here, so we need stuff for her."

"You better be paying," she said.

"I am," I said. "You have half an hour to get ready."

"Where am I going?" she asked.

"I'll give you a list," I said.

Half an hour later, Tori was on her way to the city with Maddi in my car, after being warned what will happen if I find any scratches and Simon was on his way to Danny's. Once I could no longer see the car, I turned to Chloe. She blushed and bit her lip.

"Dinner?" I asked. "I'm cooking."

"I would love some," she said, smiling.

"Good, because I'm starving," I said.

She laughed. "Thinking with your stomach again."

We went to the kitchen and I set to work. I wasn't the best cook. I mean, I can make simple things, like pancake and French toast, but I can't do anything fancy. So I went with spaghetti. She didn't seem to mind, though, and we ate in silence. I could tell she was nervous and I wanted to say something to calm her down, I knew that it would only result in her being more nervous.

After dinner, I let her wash the dishes after she insisted. I went around the house unplugging phones and locking doors. I wasn't taking any chances this time. If we were interrupted again, there would be blood spilled. Once I was sure I got every things that could interrupt us, I shut off all the lights so that in case anybody showed up, they'd think I wasn't home. Satisfied, I went upstairs to the bedroom. The bedroom faced the back of the house, so the light wouldn't be as obvious, but I didn't want to risk too much light and went with the lamp instead. I would have done something romantic for Chloe's sake, but I don't trust her around candles.

When I heard her coming up the stairs, I waited by the door. She opened it and I swung her up in my arms. Gasping, she clung to my arm.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Carrying you to the bed," I said.

"Why?" she asked.

"To avoid any accidents," I said.

She hit me lightly on the arm. "I can walk just fine."

"I also recall telling you that I'm not a patient man," I said.

Her cheeks flamed and she bit her lip. I laid her on the bed and she automatically scooted back. I stopped her by encircling my arm around her waist and tugging her back to me. She gasped and I covered her mouth with mine. She instantly responded and wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling herself closer. I used my other arm to go under her legs and lift her so that she was pressed all the way against me, allowing me to lift myself onto the bed and pull her up to the pillows without her touching the bed. When I tried to lower her back on the bed, she wrapped her legs around my waist and ground herself against me. I growled at the suddenness and she shuddered underneath me and let out a small moan. I smiled against her lips. _So that's how it is, huh?___

I lowered us both down and ground myself into her, earning another moan. I moved my mouth from her lips down to her neck and she threaded her fingers through my hair, keeping me there. As I nipped and sucked at her delicate skin, I listened to her moans of approval. Taking that as a sign to move further, I ran my hands down her sides until I found the hem of her shirt. I slowly lifted it up while running many hands up along her soft skin. When I reached her bra, I went past it and only lifted my head from her neck long enough to remove her shirt. Before the shirt could touch the floor, I was back at her neck.

Once I was satisfied that I had covered every inch of her neck, I moved lower and placed a kiss on the top of each covered breast. I was pleased to see that she was wearing a front clasp and I quickly disposed of what was blocking the rest of my view. She squirmed and I looked up to see she was nervous again. I didn't understand why until I realized she was subconscious. I watched her while I went to work, exploring every inch. When she moaned and arched into me, I smiled and concentrated fully on my task. She might not like her size, but I was completely fine with it. I ran my hands underneath her back and lifted her to my mouth. I left her hands grabbing at me shirt and I looked up. She pulled me up and I found her lips, hungrily getting as much as I could. Her hands grabbed at the bottom of my shirt and tugged. I sat up and pulled it over my head. When I moved back to claim her mouth, she put her hand on my chest and ran it from my collar bone down to the top of my pants. She was breathing heavily and her eyes flickered up to mine before I lowered myself back to her lips.

When she ground herself against me, I reached down and ran my fingers just under the top of her jeans until I found the button. I easily pulled it open and pulled the zipper down. I tugged her up a little by her jeans and she complied by lifting her hips and allowing me to yank down. Not wanting do leaver her lips, I lifted my leg and used my foot to push her jeans the rest of the way off. She laughed against my mouth and reached for my own jeans. I let her unbutton them and try to get them off. When she couldn't get them any farther than the top of my hips, she grabbed my hands and placed them on my jeans. It was my turn to laugh as I pulled my jeans down and kicked them to the floor.

I grabbed the top of her panties and gently pulled them down. She reached for my boxers, but I pushed her hands away. She looked at me confused, but when she saw what I was intending on doing, she sucked in sharply and closed her eyes, embarrassed. I smiled and leaned in for a taste. She jumped as soon as my tongue made contact and I grabbed her hips, holding them down. She kept her eyes squeezed tight as I explored and tasted every inch of her. I heard her heavy breathing and she let of a moan. I knew she was close and I founded her bundle of nerves, sucking it into my mouth. She was almost there. Smiling, I let out a long, deep growl and it pushed her over the edge. She cried out and her back arched. I get sucking until her cries subsided and she lay limp.

With that, I shed my boxers and reached to my nightstand. I grabbed a condom and quickly sheathed myself. I hovered over and she looked up at me. I knew she was nervous now. I gathered her against me and she found my lips. Finding her entrance, I slowly entered her and felt her tense. When she relaxed a little I went a little farther until I reached the problem. Her eyes were squeezed tight and I took a deep breath. Plunging through, I felt her lock up underneath me and I held perfectly still, which was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. My own eyes were squeezed tight, but with the effort of not going farther. She was like a vice around me and I could barely contain myself. She moved experimentally and tensed again. After a few more tries, she pushed herself farther on me. I moved as gently as I could until I was completely in her. I waited until she was ready, then I pulled out and pushed back in slowly. After a while, her moans started getting louder and I increased my pace. She threw back her head and I dove for her neck, suckling against it. She let out a long moan and grabbed my head. I couldn't hear her heavy breathing over my own as I plunged in and out. She started to grip harder and I knew she was close. I couldn't hold on any longer and I reached in between and rubbed once before she cried out again and arched into me. I felt myself go over the edge and I held onto her. I plunged once, twice, three times and I let out a cry of my own, muffled by her neck.

When I became aware of my surroundings, I could feel her heart slowing down against my chest as my own regained its own steady beat. I lifted my head and looked at her closed eyes. Her mouth was partially open and I laid a gentle kiss along the edge. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled sleepily up at me.

"Tired?" I asked, smiling.

"Mmm," she murmured, closing her eyes.

I pulled out and discarded of the condom before gathering her against me as I turned onto my back. She curled around me and threw her arm across my chest. It didn't take long for sleep to take her. I watched her sleep for a minute and smiled. Closing my eyes, I leaned my chin against the top of her head and let sleep take me too.

**Was that too much? I felt like it was. Anyway, my MTC readers know the drill. I need your questions and everything that needs to be wrapped up in the epilogue. And thanks to zarallei72, I have a special offer for those who sign in and review this chapter and/or the epilogue. It's an exclusive offer only available to signed in reviewers. **


	16. Brunch

**Wow. It's been a while. I'm really sorry for the wait. Basically, I knew where I wanted to the epilogue to go, but I just didn't know how to write it. And then I forgot. Again, I'm really sorry. And I can't promise that this will make up for the super long wait because it is a little rushed, but it's closure. And I know there is a lack of Tori. I just couldn't fit her in. For closure, she is back at school.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**There has been a three month time leap. It is the end of summer. **

**Derek's POV: (I can't remember whose POV I promised, so sorry if there are any disappointments.)**

"Derek?" a voice said next to my ear.

"Hmm?" I murmured without opening my eyes.

"You awake?"

"That depends," I said. "What am I awake for?"

"Brunch with my aunt," Chloe reminded me.

I groaned and turned over onto my side, facing away from her. "No, I'm in a coma. Wake me tomorrow."

"Derek, you promised," she said.

"You asked me after sex," I accused. "You can't hold what I say after sex against me. I'm not exactly thinking."

"But you said yes," she said. "Don't make me do this alone."

"Don't try and guilt trip me," I said. "It won't work."

She sighed in annoyance and I felt her slip out of bed. The closet door creaked open and hangers clicked as Chloe picked out her clothes. When the bathroom door closed a few minutes later, I breathed a sigh of relief and turned onto my stomach to get comfortable before falling back asleep. I was in just the right position when the bedroom door opened and shut. I heard tiny, bare feet slapping against the hardwood and then silence. The blankets pulled slightly and then the bed shook slightly as those small feet walked across the surface. Two small knees leaned on my back as the owner sat down. I strained against the urge to not smile when hair brushed across my face and minty breath filled my nostrils. I kept my breaths slow and even so she would think I was asleep. A giggle proved she saw past my rouse.

"Morning, Derek," she said in a sing-songy voice.

I opened one eye to see big blue eyes staring back at me and a huge grin plastered on her face. I couldn't help but return the smile.

"Morning," I said.

She pulled back and tugged my shoulder. "Wakey, wakey, Derek. We're goin' to bunch."

"Brunch, Maddi, brunch," I corrected her with a smile. She slid off my back as I sat up.

"Oh," she said. "Derek?"

"Hmm?" I asked as I massaged the sleep from my face.

"What's brunch?"

I looked over at the innocent face I've grown accustomed to. "Well, it's kind of like having breakfast for lunch."

"Oh," she said. She looked pensive for a second before grinning again. She grabbed my hand and pulled. "Up, up, up."

"Alright, alright," I said. She turned to get off the bed and I snatched her above the waist. She burst out in a fit of giggles as I lifted her as high as I could and turned her upside down. Her upside down face was parallel with mine and she smiled at me before she leaned forward and planted a small kiss on the only thing she could reach, which was my nose. I turned her around and sat her down in my lap.

"Okay, Maddi. Now I've got to tell you something," I said. "You're going to be meeting a woman today. Her name is Lauren and she is Chloe's aunt. She might say something that you don't like, but you have to remember not to think anything of it."

"Why not?" Maddi asked.

"Because Lauren isn't a very nice person," I said. "Don't tell Chloe I said that, though."

"Okay," she said.

"Now why don't you go wait downstairs and we'll be down as soon as we're ready," I said.

"Okay," she said. She hopped off my lap and off the bed. Once she was out the door, I smiled and got off the bed myself. I walked over to the bathroom and tested the knob. When no lock stopped me, I grinned and let myself in. The shower was already going and I stripped off my sweats. Pulling the door open, I slipped inside.

"Took you long enough," Chloe said. "I'm starting to shrivel."

"You don't look shriveled to me," I said. I grabbed her waist and gently pulled her against me.

She smiled and wrapped her arms around my neck. "How long do we have?"

"Fifteen minutes, max," I said.

"Perfect," she said.

I smiled as I leaned down and captured her lips with mine.

…,,,…

"I can't believe I'm doing this," I muttered to myself.

I shifted lanes and sighed.

"It's not that bad," Chloe said. "Just say hello, eat your food, and make small talk. It will be over before you know it."

"That's what _you_ say," I said. "She doesn't hate _you._"

Chloe didn't respond to that and I just nodded to myself. I looked back in mirror at Maddi, who was focused on staring out the window. When I spoke, I spoke quietly.

"I won't say anything when she insults me," I said. "But if she says anything against Maddi..."

"I know," she said. "I know."

I pulled into the parking lot and found a space. Killing the engine, I gave Chloe one more look before getting out. I held Maddi's hand as we crossed the parking lot and led us into the restaurant.

"There she is," Chloe pointed to across the room. I noticed her hand was shaking and I noticed for the first time just how nervous she was at seeing her aunt for the first time in months. Her breathing was uneven and she was ringing the hem of her shirt with her hands. I reached down and laced my fingers through hers. She looked up in surprised and I gave her hand a light squeeze. She smiled gratefully up at me and I led us over to where Lauren was waiting.

"Aunt Lauren?" Chloe said.

Lauren looked up from her phone and smiled at Chloe. She stood up and hugged her. She looked her Chloe's shoulder and glared at me. I returned the look and pulled Maddi over to the table. Sitting down, I ignored Chloe's conversation with her aunt and focused on the menu in front of me. Chloe sat down next to Lauren and they talked while deciding what to eat. I felt a small tug on my shirt and I looked down.

"What does this say?" Maddi asked, pointing at one of the options.

"Why don't we just share some French toast?" I suggested.

She nodded and sat back.

Chloe cleared her throat. "Aunt Lauren. This is Maddi."

Lauren looked over the table and Maddi, who was squirming in her seat. Lauren smiled at her, but I saw through it, and so did Maddi.

"And who is Maddi?" Lauren asked, looking over at me as to imply I had knocked someone up.

Chloe met my eyes and smiled. "Our daughter."

Lauren froze. "What do you mean your daughter?"

"Maddi is mine and Derek's daughter," Chloe repeated.

"How did that happen?" she asked, casting an accusatory glare at me.

"The papers came in the mail last week," Chloe said.

"You _adopted _her?" Lauren asked. "Chloe Saunders, you are 19 years old. What in the world are you doing adopting a child?"

Maddi sidled up along me and gripped my hand with surprising strength for a three-year-old. I lifted her into my lap and she buried her head in my chest. I gave Chloe a warning look and she took a deep breath. Keeping her face straight, she said,

"Aunt Lauren, I am an adult. I realize that a lot of responsible goes into raising a child, especially at such a young age, but I'm not alone. I have Derek."

Lauren let out an unladylike snort. "A lot of good that will do you. The man isn't capable of taking care of himself never mind a child."

I didn't bother reminding to her that I was sitting right in front of her. Instead, I pushed my chair back, lifted Maddi in my arms, and walked out. I didn't look back to check if Chloe was following. I didn't expect her to. Lauren may be a bitch, but she's Chloe aunt first and if Chloe wanted to stay behind with her, I wouldn't hold it against her.

I buckled Maddi in and got into my seat. I was just about to start the car when the passenger door opened and Chloe slipped in. She wouldn't look at me and pretended to fix a loose string on her shirt.

"Can we eat somewhere else?" Maddi asked quietly.

"Yeah, Maddi, we can eat somewhere else," I said. I thought for a second before an idea sprung. "You know, I think Simon is in town. Maybe we can persuade him to join us for lunch."

"Really?" Maddi asked, suddenly bursting with excitement.

"Let me just call him up," I said.

I grabbed my phone from my pocket and scroll through my contacts. Once I found Simon, I hit call and waited for him to answer. He answered on the second ring and I invited him to lunch. He accepted and I hung up.

Chloe was silent the entire ride and I was a little worried. I knew that leaving her aunt there couldn't have been easy on her. When we got to the diner, I helped Maddi out and went to meet Chloe as she got out. When she had the door shut, I put my arms around her head to stop her from walking away.

"You okay?" I asked quietly.

She nodded and looked away. I pulled her chin towards me and she finally looked me in the eye. Sighing, she said,

"No, I'm not," she admitted.

"Do you want to go home?" I asked. "We can grab something to go and eat there."

"No," she said. "Maddi is really excited about seeing Simon and I don't want to ruin it for her. I'll be okay."

"You sure?" I asked, concerned.

"Yeah," she said.

"We'll talk about it later, okay?"

She nodded and started walking away. I held my hand out to Maddi and she grabbed onto it. Simon was waiting inside with Danny. I let go of Maddi's hand and she ran straight for the table. Chloe was walking a little slow, so I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her against me. She smiled up at me, grateful.

"Long time no see," Simon said as we sat down.

"That's more your fault than mine," I pointed out.

"I've been busy," Simon said.

Danny snorted. "_That's _what you call it?"

"How was brunch with Lauren?" Simon asked, trying to change the subject. "They didn't have enough food there so you decided to eat everything here?"

"We didn't stay long," I said.

"What? It didn't go well?" Simon asked.

I gave him a look and gestured to Chloe, whose face was buried in the menu. His smile faded a look of pity briefly passed over his face. King of subject changes, he cleared his throat.

"So, Chloe. How's the college plans going? Everything transfer okay?"

She looked up from the menu. "Yeah, actually it did."

"That's good," Danny said. "At least you're not having to spend so much time on the other side of the country."

Chloe nodded. "I don't think I could go back even if I didn't want to spend so much time away."

I grabbed her hand and squeezed. Her dad's death was harder for her after everything had quieted down. A neighbor had reported her father's death to the police and had given a statement saying they had witnessed a black-clad individual enter the house, so Chloe wasn't charged with anything. We had the funeral soon after and he was buried next to his wife. Chloe only went back long enough to gather her things and she left the house up for sale.

"So, Maddi," Simon said. "I was thinking of having a campout tonight. Do you know any little girls who'd like to join me?"

She bounced up and down in her chair. "Me!"

"You sure?" he asked, teasing. "You have to be big and strong."

"I'm big and strong," she said.

"Hmm, I don't know…," he said. He held up his arms and said, "Show me your muscles."

She copied his movement and I couldn't help smiling at her eagerness.

"What do you know? I think I've found the strongest little girl in the whole world," Simon said.

"Can I go camping?" she asked.

"I would be insulted if you didn't," he said. "Besides, I think some people could use a little alone time."

He winked at me and I rolled my eyes. He went on teasing Maddi with the help of Danny throughout lunch. I kept Chloe's hand firmly clutched in mine the whole time. I could feel the uneasiness coming off her in waves.

When lunch was over, we all went home so that Maddi could pack a bag. Soon after, Simon left with Maddi and Chloe and I were left alone. I swung her up in my arms and carried her off to the bedroom.

"Derek," she protested. "It's the middle of the day."

"You have a dirty mind, Ms. Saunders," I said.

I set her down on the bed. She looked a little nervous until I told her to turn around. She was confused until I applied pressure to her shoulders and she moaned in pleasure. I continued the massage until she was limp in my arms.

"Better?" I asked.

"Hmm," she murmured, a tired smile on her face.

"You want to talk?" I asked.

The smile disappeared. She sat up, but I wrapped my arms around her, preventing her from getting away.

"I know today didn't go like you wanted it to," I said. "But I'm here if you need me. I'm always here if you need me."

"I know," she said, kissing me on the cheek and cradling it in her hand. She sighed and rested her own cheek on my chest. "I'm so sorry."

"For what?" I asked, caught off guard.

"For what she said about you," she explained.

"Chloe, I'm used to what she says about me," I said. "I didn't leave because I was offended. I didn't want Maddi to hear her."

"I'm sorry for that, too," she said. "I really thought she'd be at least civil."

"You don't have to apologize for her," I said. "She is who she is."

"I know," Chloe said.

She didn't look convinced. "Did she say anything after I left?"

Chloe bit her lip and looked away.

"Chloe," I said. "What did she say?"

"I kind of told her something and she didn't react very well," Chloe said.

"What did you tell her?"

"I…"

"Chloe," I said, the warning tone returning to my voice.

She mumbled something and I froze, sure I had heard wrong.

"Could you repeat that?" I asked.

She looked up at me, guilty. "I'm pregnant."

I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out. I lifted my head and stared off into space. She was talking, but I didn't hear a word she said. _She's pregnant. With a baby. With _my _baby. How did this happen? Stupid question. _When _did this happen? When weren't we careful?_

"Derek?" Chloe asked.

I looked down at her. She started talking again, but this time, I stared at her face. Those wide blue eyes stared up at me and I couldn't help picturing a little girl with those same wide blue eyes and blond hair running wild.

I cut off whatever Chloe was saying with a kiss. She protested at first before giving in and wrapping her arms around my neck.

"You didn't hear a word I said, did you?" she murmured against my lips.

"Was it important?" I asked, pulling back and kissing down her neck.

She sighed in pleasure. "Derek?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you have anything to say?"

I lifted my head and looked in the eyes. "I hope it's a girl."

"You're not mad or anything?" she asked.

"Why would I be mad? It's just as much you're doing as it is mine, more so mine," I said.

"I just thought that since we've only been dating for three months that you might be a little… concerned," she said.

"Chloe, we adopted a three-year-old girl after only dating one," I reminded her. "Sure, a baby is different, especially when it's one we made together. But do you really think that we can't do it?"

She smiled up at me. "I think Maddi would like a little brother or sister."

"We'll tell her when she gets home," I said. "But for now, I'd like a little alone time with my girlfriend."

She smiled and wound her arms around my neck. "I love you."

I looked into those eyes. "I never thought I'd hear that before I met you."

"Well, you're going to hear it every day for the rest of our lives," she said.

"The rest of our lives, huh?" I said. "Well, I suppose I could return the favor if it's going to be that long."

"You can, huh?" she asked, pulling herself a little higher so that her face hovered over mine.

"I love you, Chloe Saunders," I said. "No matter what anybody says, remember that."

**So, without further ado, thus is the ending of Title Pending. Finally. **


	17. Story Options

**So here is the list of choices for my next story (or possibly stories.) Please choose only two options. You can answer in a review or a PM.**

**The Disappearance (Possible Title Change)**

After their last reconnaissance mission of the St. Clouds, the group never wants to hear the name again because not everybody made it back. Simon, Tori, and Chloe make it to safety, but Derek is left behind after getting a bullet to the back, leaving a three month pregnant Chloe to raise their child on her own. Three years later, the group ends up captured and shipped back to the very place that they had fled three years ago. Separated from the group and her daughter, Chloe must figure out what exactly the St. Clouds want from them this time and who is the mysterious man who shares her dark room?

**Whose Baby?**

When a simple gynecologic check up results in Tori's unexpected pregnancy, Simon and Derek are left perplexed. Nine months later, the baby whose origin is unknown is taken. But before they can figure out their present dilemma, Derek receives a package he never expected: a baby of his own. The papers claim it's his and the blood test confirms it, but who's the mother? And why does his blond haired, blued eyed baby look strangely like an old friend?

**Animal Instincts (This is totally different than anything I've written)**

Spells are very tricky business. Every syllable is important. When a simple spell is one syllable off, the world is changed dramatically. Nobody is left unaffected. The group is scattered and alone. In order to regroup and reverse the spell, they will have to rely on their animal instincts.

**Unexpected Odds**

Love is never easy, something that seventeen year old Chloe Saunders knows well. Especially when the object of your attraction is not only the hottest guy in school and the center of every girl's attention, but the star quarterback as well. Chloe has known Derek Souza since she was five years old, but she began to see him in a different light a year ago. How can Chloe convince a guy she's known for so long but has never talked to that she exists? And how will she get past her jittering nerves long enough to look him in the eye?

**I may get more ideas, so this list may be subject to change. **


	18. What's In It For You?

**Okay, so I will say pretty much the same thing I said with MTC. This is a one-shot and is in no way subject to a sequel. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**This takes place about three years after the epilogue. **

**Derek's POV:**

I knew the instant I woke up that Chloe wasn't lying next to me. I could just feel the chill coming from the empty spot next to me. Keeping my eyes closed, I concentrated and listened for sounds throughout the house. I heard clattering in the kitchen and smiled. Breakfast. From the sound of things, I was guessing waffles. And with food, I was usually right. And also by the sound of things, she still had a ways to go before breakfast was ready.

Inhaling deeply, I pulled the blanket higher to counteract the December chill that seemed to always find me just as I was waking up. Making sure my alarm was off, I relaxed and started to fall asleep again when the door slowly creaked open. Hushed giggles got closer and closer. When the bed dipped, I knew I was no longer alone and any thoughts of sleeping in went right out the door. I knew they were there, but I wasn't prepared for the two pairs of ice cold feet as then sat down on my bare back.

"Where are your socks?" I asked them, my face still shoved in the pillow.

"Downstairs," Maddi answered, as-a-matter-of-factly.

"And why aren't you wearing them?" I asked.

"Do this," Hannah, my almost two-year-old daughter, answered, sliding her cold feet up my back and causing my muscles to suddenly tighten and making my wince at the sensation.

With my fast reflexes, I spun around and caught the two of them in my arms before they could scamper off. They both struggled to free themselves, but eventually surrendered with laughter. Hannah looked up at me with her wide blue eyes and smiled that toothy grin. She looked so much like her mother, I often joked with Chloe that I wasn't convinced she was mine. She was her mother's daughter, through and through. From the blond locks and big blue eyes to her mischievous tendencies. And next to her, Maddi had just turned six years old. I saw Peter in her more and more each day. Her brown hair still had rats nests throughout, which meant they had both just woken up and Chloe hadn't dressed them yet. _Guess it's my turn. _

"Alright you two," I said, "First one to your room wins."

They scrambled off me and off the bed. I shook my head and slid out of the bed onto the cold hardwood floor. Stretching my hands over my head, I tried to work the knots out. I managed to get a few, but the rest would have to wait. Lowering my arms, I headed over to the closet and quickly dressed. As I passed the window, the sun bounced off my wedding ring. I looked down at it. I'd been wearing it for a year now. I would have asked Chloe as soon as she got pregnant but I didn't want to seem like one of those guys who only marry someone because they knock them up. Instead, I waited until after Hannah was born. Waiting that long wasn't intentional. After with being with Chloe for those nine months up until the birth and then for the few months after, I had grown so comfortable with the fact that we were together that it didn't occur to me that I needed to ask her to marry me. It just seemed common sense that we would stay together. It wasn't until Tori came to stay for a month after her boyfriend unexpectedly proposed and she didn't know how to face him after she told him no that I realized maybe it was time to actually pop the question. When I did, there was no hesitation in her voice when Chloe said yes. And there have been no regrets since.

I walked down the hall and stuck my head into the girls' bedrooms. I started with Hannah because she had the least patience and Maddi could dress herself. Her blanket was lying across the floor in a heap and her abnormal amount of stuffed animals were scattered across the floor. I shook my head. She wasn't even two yet and I already knew she was going to be a handful.

"Now, where could Hannah possibly be?" I pondered out loud. A giggle sounded from underneath the blanket.

"Hmm," I said. "Well, I guess I'm just going to have to eat all the waffles by myself."

She gasped, but remained as still as she could. I was impressed by her self control. Slowly walking up to the blanket, I moved as quietly as I could. As soon as I was next to it, I leaned down and quickly snatched up the blanket, little girl and all. Because she was so entwined, I couldn't tell which end was up and which one was down. It wasn't until she started giggling again that I figured out she was upside down. She started to squirm.

"Daddy," she said. "Up down."

"You're upside down?" I teased. "I don't think so. Wiggle your toes."

The blanket barely moved under her tiny toes.

"Hmm," I said. "Those looked more like fingers."

"Daddy," she said, giggling.

"Alright," I said. "I know a little girl who needs a diaper change, anyway."

I turned her the right way and moved the blanket so I could see her face. She smiled at me and threw her little arms around my neck and hugged me as tight as she could and kissed my cheek.

"All bedder," she said.

"Now how about that diaper change?" I said.

…,,,…

Maddi was already dressed when I finished with Hannah and I brushed her hair for her. As soon as I let her go, she was racing out of the room and down to the kitchen. I picked Hannah up and carried her down with me. Chloe had the table set and was setting the heaping plate of waffles in the middle when I walked into the room.

She didn't see me walk up behind her and she gasped when I kissed her cheek. Turning around, she smiled and took Hannah from me. We settled her into her seat and I grabbed her oatmeal from the microwave. She may have plenty of teeth, but the waffles were too chewy for her just yet. So, oatmeal and sausage was enough for her. Settling into my seat, I helped Maddi first and then loaded my plate. Chloe and I alternated feeding Hannah. I finished first, so I was responsible for cleaning her up.

I had just finished when the doorbell rang, followed by the door opening and shutting. Moments later, Simon walked in the room. Maddi raced out of her chair and into Uncle Simon's arms.

"Where did my little girl go, huh?" he asked. "When did this big girl get here?"

"No Danny today?" I asked, clearing the table.

"Nah," he said. "She's having a mall day with her mom, which is just code for 'You're going to have a huge credit card bill at the end of the month.'"

"Weddings aren't cheap," Chloe reminded him.

"I already spent too much on the ring," he complained. "Should the wedding cost more than that?"

"You're the one who decided on getting married," I pointed out.

"Well, you seem to be handling it just fine," he said.

"Handling it?" Chloe asked.

"Did I tell you that you look very beautiful today?" he offered, setting Maddi down.

"Uh huh," she said. "You're not off the hook."

"Not even if I tell you that two little girls are going to be having a sleepover with their favorite uncle tonight?" he said.

"You're their only uncle," I pointed out. "And what the hell are you talking about?"

"I have come to offer my services," he said. "For one night only, I am offering my babysitting expertise."

Chloe and I exchanged a look and she asked, "What's in it for you?"

He faked a look of offense. "Why would you suggest that? Can't I just want to spend time with my nieces?"

"And why don't I believe you?" I asked, crossing my arms and leaning back on the wall behind me.

"Fine," Simon said. "I need them to stop Tori from staying with me."

Confused, I asked, "Context?"

Simon sighed. "Tori is coming into town and she doesn't want to pay to stay in a hotel so she invited herself to stay with me and Danny, who is fully supporting Tori. As we both know, Tori doesn't like kids under five, so I thought that if the girls were to stay with me for the night, Tori wouldn't."

"That's actually a good plan," I said, impressed. "But you don't get the girls."

"What?" he asked. "But it's a good plan."

"Yeah, and if you had asked earlier, I might have said yes," I said. "However, Dad already made plans to spend time with the girls and he has priority over you."

"Damn," Simon muttered. "Now what the hell am I supposed to do?"

"Stay with Dad while Tori is in town," I suggested.

"But it's _my _apartment," Simon argued.

"Yeah, and they are _my _daughters," I countered.

He looked over at Chloe and she just shrugged. "Kit's taking them to the aquarium tomorrow. No matter what you offer, they're gonna go with Kit."

"Traitors," Simon muttered.

I rolled my eyes. "Well, either you stay with Dad or just suck it up."

His eyes lit up and he opened his mouth to speak.

"And you're not staying here," I interrupted.

His eyes dimmed just as quickly as they had lit and he scowled, which was an amusing look on him.

"Fine," he said. "I'm going to go pack."

"Staying with Dad?" I asked.

"It's my only option," he said.

"Then would you mind picking up the girls on your way over?"

He looked at me like I was crazy and then shook his head in defeat, his arms throwing up in the air.

"See you then," I called after him as he left the room.

Arms snaked around my waist from behind and I entwined my fingers through Chloe's small ones. She sighed and rested her cheek against my back. We stood like that, neither of us breaking contact, for a few minutes. Eventually one of us had to speak, however.

"It's been awhile," Chloe said.

"Since?"

"Since we had the house to ourselves," she answered.

"Hmm," I said. "We shouldn't waste it."

"You know what really sounds good?" she asked.

"What's that?"

"Uninterrupted silence," she answered. "And relaxation."

"And your method of relaxation?"

"Candles, warm water, and soothing bubbles," she answered.

"I think you're missing something."

"And my husband," she added.

"That's better."

She loosened her arms enough to swing around to face me. Lifting her arms, she linked them around my neck and pulled me down for a brief, but breathtaking kiss. When we pulled back, we stayed connected by our arms. And like we had learned long ago, all good things must come to an end. From somewhere in the house, there was the sound of something crashing to the floor followed by a quick 'I didn't do it.'

Shaking my head, I pulled back. "My turn."

**Yes, it is very brief, but I wanted to finally update and this was what I needed in order to do just that. **


End file.
